New Students at Orange Star High
by Silver Warrior
Summary: Epilogue up. All stories must come to an end, and so too must this one. But when one story ends, another may begin.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z. If I did, would I be writing DBZ fan fics?  
  
A space pod approaches. It has traveled for a very long time. It has traveled for years, even decades. Its occupant does not know how much time has passed. He may not even be aware that decades have passed. All he knows is that he must evaluate the planet Earth for a possible purging and selling. Though he hated purging planets. Almost every planet that he had been a part of the purging party for had been so peaceful, so happy. And then he and his fellow Saiyans would descend, usually on the night of their full moon, and destroy the planets entire civilization. And then they would callously sell it to the highest bidder.  
  
The space pod arrives on the planet. After killing a country person and taking his clothes, he meanders among the planets cities. He learned that there had been several battles here. His scouter picked up power levels that were unbelievable. Five of them were in the millions. There were several others that were over a hundred thousand. Well, this planet definitely wasn't for purging. Then he got an idea. He didn't have to report back. They could definitely see what his scouter readings were. If he destroyed his scouter, then they might think he had engaged one of those higher powers and gotten killed. He would never have to return. Except for his tail, he looked almost exactly like the Earthlings. What did they call themselves? Humans. Yes, he could probably make do on this little planet. He might not be the strongest warrior around, but if anyone tried to come and take it over, he could be ready to help defend his new home.  
  
In between Otherworld and our dimension lies Limbo. Limbo is where beings that are sealed away from reality are kept. Most of them are evil entities, bent on destroying all life or taking over whatever mudball of a planet they were from. Others were the opposite. Warriors of good who were overwhelmed by the evil that they were fighting and were sent into Limbo in disgrace, simply for the amusement of their enemies. One such being lifts his head. His time for release was drawing near. The demons didn't know it, but the spell that they had used to seal him into Limbo had a time release. He would soon be released and he would find the person who sealed him away and destroy him. The name of that demon was one that he would never forget. Yes, he would get his revenge on Dabura.  
  
"I'm sorry sir, we would love to hire you, but you do not have a high school education" The young woman at the reception desk was extremely nice and very helpful. But he still wouldn't be able to get the job. All he needed was two more years of high school education and the job was his. Though there were programs where he would have been able to get two years of education within one year.  
  
"Sir, this position does not need to be filled immediately," the receptionist says, "so you can go back to high school, go through an intensive study course, and get your diploma within a year. Chances are there won't be anyone else qualified for this job. Besides, the World's Martial Arts Tournament is months away. We won't need a guard with your skills until then, so we can hold the job open for you. Most other martial artists would rather compete."  
  
"Why bother competing when no one could ever beat Hercule?" the young man replies, "what's the best high school in the area?"  
  
"Why, that would be Orange Star High school," the receptionist replies, "it's very good. I'm sure you'll fit in quite well there."  
  
"Despite me being a good 11 years older than most of the students?" the man asks sarcastically.  
  
"Sir, you look remarkably young for your age," the receptionist says, "that is what I meant."  
  
"I'll look into Orange Star High," the man tells the receptionist, "and rest assured that once I do get my diploma I will be back for the job."  
  
"Very good sir," the receptionist says and goes back to doing her everyday routine.  
  
Piccolo's eyes open wide in shock. "What is it Piccolo?" Dende, the Guardian of the Earth, asks his fellow Namekian.  
  
"There are various events coming together," Piccolo says, breathing heavily, "something strange is going on on Earth, and I feel that it will affect the fate of the entire universe."  
  
"Should we tell Gohan?" Dende asks, "after all, he is our strongest warrior. Especially since Goku sacrificed himself to defeat Cell."  
  
"I fear that we may have to go to Namek to wish Goku back," Piccolo tells the young Namek dryly, "we may need his help and whatever else we can get. We may have to find all of the warriors Goku and I have fought over the years that would be willing to help and toss them into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to train for all of the help we'll likely need."  
  
"Are things gonna get that bad Piccolo?" Dende asks.  
  
"I fear things may be even worse than that," Piccolo replies, his eyes haunted, "we may need to see if there are any warriors among the dead that Goku has met that would be willing to help in exchange for another go at life."  
  
At this, Dende's eyes widen. "Piccolo, are you certain?" Dende asks, his voice shaky.  
  
"I'm sorry Dende, but it appears that you'll be going through more in your first seven years as Guardian of Earth than I did in all of my centuries," Piccolo says, though it is Kami's voice that speaks.  
  
"But don't worry kid, you're doing fine," the voice of Nail, the last Namek warrior besides Piccolo says from Piccolo's mouth as well. Both Kami and Nail had at one time or another fused with Piccolo to make him stronger: Nail to help Piccolo fight Frieza and Kami to help him fight the Androids and Cell.  
  
"Thanks guys, but we really should inform Gohan and Vegeta," Dende tells his fellow Nameks, "as the strongest warriors on Earth, they should be prepared. And it might be wise to draft Goten and Trunks. We've seen what Trunks will someday be capable of and since Vegeta is training him he'll be even stronger than his future counterpart."  
  
"Let's wait," Piccolo tells the younger Namek, "it'll be several months before all of this comes to an encounter. Maybe even years."  
  
"Then we shall wait," Dende agrees, "though I hope it is the right thing to do."  
  
"If worse comes to worse, Gohan still has another day in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber that he has yet to go through," Piccolo says, "and he could take Goten or Trunks in with him."  
  
"Then we shall indeed wait," Dende says, "and pray to the Kai's that all will work out."  
  
On a dark, desolate appearing planet, slightly out of phase with Earth, sits a large demon. He is Dabura, the King of Demons and the mightiest warrior of the Demon World.  
  
"Soon, we shall make the Earth ours," he rumbles, "the foolish humans are no match for us, and when I merge with the creature Majin Buu when the wizard Babidi releases him, I will be invincible!"  
  
Dabura laughs evilly as he thinks of all of the beautiful carnage he could wreak throughout the entire universe once he merged with Majin Buu.  
  
Well, what do you think of this? An odd concept, to be sure but I firmly believe that I can make it work. The person in the space pod and the person trapped in Limbo are both characters of my creation. 


	2. Chapter One: The New Students

Disclaimer: If I owned DBZ, Nappa and Raditz would have been given second chances at life during the time preparing for the Androids. Since that obviously didn't happen, you can safely assume that I do not own DBZ.  
  
It has now been three months since the space pod has landed on Earth. Its occupant, a Saiyan named Zarvon, has blended in with Earth's society for the most part. The only problem is that he knows next to nothing about the Earth's past, so he enrolls in a nearby high school. He is now about to be introduced to his classmates for the first time. But he's not the only person being introduced to the class.  
  
"Class, today we have not one, but three new students," the teacher says, "each one scored high on the exams, two of them having near perfect scores."  
  
"Sounds like you have some competition Gohan," Sharpener tells his somewhat friend with a cocky attitude.  
  
"What?" Gohan asks, totally devoid of having a clue, "I don't care. I'm just here to learn."  
  
"Leave it to a nerd to say something like that," Sharpener chuckles.  
  
"Hush, Sharpener, I want to hear the names of the three new students," Erasa says, "I hope at least one of them is as cute as you Gohan."  
  
"Please come in young man," the teacher tells the first one.  
  
In walks a man nearly thirty. Gohan looks at the man and can detect a slightly familiar ki emanating from the man.  
  
"Hi, my name is Pegaro Kawada," the man says with a bow. Gohan starts at hearing that name. "Is something wrong Gohan?" Videl Satan asks.  
  
"No, I just remembered that I have to pick up my little brother from a friends house on the way home today," Gohan half-lies. He did have to pick Goten up from Bulma's, but that wasn't why he had started. He knew that name.  
  
Pegaro walks up and sits down beside behind Gohan. Erasa turns around to greet the newcomer. "Hi, I'm Erasa," she says with a friendly smile, "and these are my friends Gohan and Sharpener."  
  
"Gohan?" Peharo asks, curious, "your last name wouldn't happen to be Son, now would it?"  
  
"It is," Gohan replies.  
  
"You wouldn't happen to live by Mount Poaz, would you?" Pegaro presses on.  
  
"I thought it was you, Pegaro," Gohan smiles, "its been years."  
  
"Over a decade, kiddo," Pegaro grins, "my, who would have thought the skinny half-drowned kid we found would turn out to be so smart."  
  
"Half-drowned?" Videl asks.  
  
"And this is my other friend Videl," Erasa says, introducing Videl, "she's the daughter of Hercule."  
  
"That's nice," Pegaro snorts, "so Gohan, you did make it home alright that day, didn't you?"  
  
"You bet," Gohan tells his long lost friend, "though a friend of my dad's came and got me. My mom was still coping with dad's death and he was afraid she would neglect me while mourning dad."  
  
"That's too bad," Pegaro says, "I'm sorry."  
  
"Its okay Pegaro," Gohan says, "look, the next person is being introduced."  
  
"My name is Jesse," the second person says. He didn't appear to be in much better shape than Gohan. He had brown hair that shown with streaks of silver. He also wore silver wire frame glasses with gold trim. He moves and takes a seat on the other side of Sharpener.  
  
"Scram nerd boy," Sharpener sneers.  
  
"Leave him alone Sharpener," Videl says, "you need all the help you can get when it comes to study partners by you so leave him be."  
  
Jesse just nods his head and turns his focus to the last person to come in.  
  
The last person was big. He was about the same size as Nappa, though he had hair similar to Recoome's only it was solid black, like all pureblooded Saiyans. He had a scar over his left cheek that was in the shape of a crude 'X'.  
  
"My name is Zarvon," he says in a very deep voice. There was something in his voice that projected power. He takes a seat right beside Gohan, though he completely ignores Erasa's attempts to socialize.  
  
As the day progressed, Gohan had gotten to know his old friend Pegaro real well. Jesse had opened up slightly, talking with Sharpener and Gohan but immediately shutting up whenever Erasa or Videl tried to talk to him. Not that Videl really tried talking to him. Zarvon proved to be completely antisocial. And it was now time for the last class of the day: Phys Ed. Gohan completely hated Phys Ed, since it was the one class where his strength could be revealed.  
  
"Okay kids, today we are gonna learn some basic self defense," the teacher tells the class. Gohan groans. This was not good.  
  
"Don't worry Gohan, I'm sure the teacher won't let you try out martial arts," Sharpener says jokingly, completely misunderstanding Gohan's groan, "after all, you're pretty fragile."  
  
"Gohan can probably take care of himself just fine," Erasa tells Sharpener.  
  
"What about you Pegaro? Are any good at martial arts?" Sharpener asks.  
  
"I'm fairly adept," Pegaro replies, "I could be in the World's Martial Arts Tournament if I really wanted to."  
  
"Really?" Erasa asks, impressed, "wow. Are you gonna be in the upcoming tournament?"  
  
"Actually, if I can complete my course in time and get my diploma, I'll be a security guard at the tournament," Pegaro replies with a friendly grin.  
  
"How cool!" Erasa giggles, "Videl is gonna be in the tournament."  
  
"Really?" Pegaro asks, looking at Videl, "you certainly don't look like a fighter. Then again, looks can be very deceiving." Videl just glares at Pegaro.  
  
"Okay, does anybody here besides Videl have any martial arts experience?" the teacher asks the class. Zarvon, Pegaro, and Jesse all raise their hands.  
  
When Gohan doesn't raise his hand, Pegaro glances at his friend, curious as to why Gohan wasn't admitting to knowing any martial arts. Perhaps he had just simply had natural strength when they met and no formal training.  
  
"Okay, Pegaro, I'm pairing you up with Videl," the teacher says," Jesse, Zarvon, I'm pairing the two of you up. And now for the rest of you."  
  
The teacher goes through several basic drills with the class, then he moves the students to the gym, where lines had been placed, roughly the size of an old martial arts stadium ring.  
  
"Okay, now watch Videl and Pegaro spar, to see how professional fighters fight," the teacher says, "I'm sure you've all seen tapes of Hercule fighting, but here you can have a chance to see a friendly competition."  
  
Videl and Pegaro square off. Gohan knew Pegaro to be pretty fast, though he had seen Videl in action quite often in his guise of the Great Saiyaman.  
  
Videl and Pegaro begin exchanging blows, neither one giving any ground. Punches and kicks were flying, though not a single blow was being landed.  
  
"Wow Gohan, your friend is pretty good if he's keeping up with Videl," Erasa exclaims as she watches the match in awe.  
  
"Awe, Videl's just taking it easy on him," Sharpener retorts.  
  
'Actually, it's the other way around,' Gohan thinks as he watches them spar. Videl was holding her own against Pegaro, but Pegaro was holding back. He was getting a feel for Videl's technique. But Videl was getting a feel for Pegaro's technique as well. The two were well matched. Gohan guessed that if it were a real fight, the outcome could go either way.  
  
"Wow, look at that!" Erasa exclaims in surprise, bringing Gohan out of his train of thought.  
  
Pegaro was using his speed now. To most of the others, it looked like he was disappearing, but to Gohan's eyes he wasn't really moving fast at all. At least not when compared to Gohan's fellow Z Warriors.  
  
"It's a trick," Sharpener remarks.  
  
"No, its pure speed," Gohan mutters.  
  
"No one can be that fast," Sharpener tells Gohan, having heard his remark.  
  
"Then how else do you explain it?" Gohan asks.  
  
"I don't know, but it has ton be some sort of trick," Sharpener repeats.  
  
A few moments later, the match was over.  
  
"Wow Pegaro, you're pretty good," Videl says as Pegaro helps her back to her feet," but how did you move like that?"  
  
"Weighted training clothes," Pegaro explains, "as your body gets accustomed to the weight, you are able to move faster when you aren't wearing them."  
  
"How long did it take you to get that fast?" Videl asks as they move back to the rest of the students.  
  
"Several years," Pegaro replies, "but you're pretty good yourself. Your technique is very good, but your approach is too arrogant. If you hadn't been cocky, you might have gotten in a few more blows, and probably won."  
  
"Zarvon, Jesse, are you two ready for your sparring match?" the teacher asks. Jesse nods and Zarvon just grunts. The two move onto the ring and square off.  
  
"Okay, begin!" the teacher calls out.  
  
Jesse starts off with a charge, aiming a punch at Zarvon's chin. Zarvon simply catches the punch in his left hand, rams his right hand into Jesse's stomach, spins while still holding Jesse's fist, and hurls Jesse out of the ring.  
  
Jesse slams into the gym wall and crumples to the ground in a heap. Erasa gasps. Gohan just looks at Zarvon curiously. Zarvon had countered that attack extremely well. And extremely fast. Gohan had never seen a human as fast as Zarvon.  
  
"Wow, did you see that?" Erasa asks, surprised. Videl was speechless. Sharpener just snorted in amusement and looks disinterested.  
  
"Um, very good Zarvon, though the object was to not brutalize your partner," the teacher tells Zarvon, "now class, hit the showers. You have twenty minutes before lunch."  
  
The guys and girls head for their prospective showering areas.  
  
"Those were some good moves you pulled off Pegaro," Gohan tells his friend, "you've been practicing since we last met."  
  
"Well, I always wanted to enter the Supreme Martial Arts Tournament, but since Hercule won I decided to not even try," Pegaro says.  
  
"Smart man," Sharpener says cockily, "you may be able to hold you own against Videl, but she's nowhere near as good as her dad."  
  
After the showers, they meet up for lunch. "Hey Pegaro, care to sit with us?" Gohan asks.  
  
"Sure," Pegaro says. The two go and sit down with Videl, Sharpener, Erasa, Jesse, and Zarvon.  
  
"Hi, I invited Zarvon and Jesse to sit with us," Erasa says after seeing Gohan's puzzled look, "besides, there weren't any other seats available."  
  
Zarvon was eating with the full voracity of his Saiyan heritage, much to the surprise of Pegaro, Jesse, and Gohan.  
  
"Wow Zarvon, you eat as much as Gohan," Erasa comments, "are you two related?"  
  
Zarvon stops eating for a moment and looks at Erasa. "I am in no way related to him," he says, "of that I am sure." He resumes eating.  
  
"Well, that settles that," Videl remarks, who had watched the little exchange with mild interest.  
  
"This guy is too big and muscular to be related to Gohan," Sharpener remarks with his usual cocky attitude, "Gohan's just a nerd. This guy has the makings of a fighter."  
  
"That's funny, Sharpener," Gohan remarks, "on my first day here you asked if I was gonna join the Boxing Club. You said with a little work that I could make a great fighter."  
  
"Actually, that was because you took a fastball to the face and didn't even flinch," Sharpener replies. At this Pegaro bursts out laughing.  
  
"Whats so funny?" Videl demands.  
  
"Gohan's just had a hard head ever since I've known him," Pegaro explains, "he rammed into a guy from a children's shelter head first when they came to get me and a bunch of other orphans when I first met him."  
  
"You were an orphan?" Erasa asks.  
  
"Yeah, and Gohan somehow had gotten lost and we found him half-drowned the day before," Pegaro tells them, "he recovered amazingly quick. He helped us out a lot. So Gohan, did you make it back home to your mom?"  
  
"Yeah. She was really worried about me. She cried for quite a while when I got home." Gohan tried his best to avoid any further questions from Pegaro.  
  
During this, Zarvon looks intently at Gohan. The way Gohan moved practically screamed 'seasoned Saiyan warrior', yet he didn't volunteer to show off his skills in gym class. How these humans could miss how easily he moved, the muscular grace that a seasoned fighter could plainly see, just escaped these Earthlings.  
  
Jesse as well as watching Gohan with interest. Unlike Zarvon, he could detect the immense power within Gohan. Jesse smiles to himself. Gohan was strong enough to give even Dabura some trouble, though he had no doubts that the young man would be beaten to death in a prolonged fight with the Demon King. Of course, Jesse had no idea about the Super Saiyans.  
  
Jesse turns his attention to Zarvon. He could plainly tell there was something different about him. Something that was slightly reminiscent of Gohan's strength, though at a lower level.  
  
After school, Zarvon walks away from the school for some distance. Instead of flying, for fear that the energy he would emit would be detected by some device that the humans and the strong people his scouter picked up had, he instead runs to his space pod. He had taken a few odd jobs moving stuff to earn enough money to buy a small capsule house. It wasn't much, but he would surely get something better once he learned more about the Earth. So far he had learned very little.  
  
Jesse phases between dimensions and reappears in a secluded portion of Zunzabud Heights. The cold barely affects him. He walks into the small cottage that had been his home before he was sealed up by the demons.  
  
Pegaro goes home with Gohan, who invited him for dinner. Unfortunately, Goten spilled the beans about everything and Pegaro soon knew about the truth of Cell's defeat and everything about Gohan. He quickly figured out that Gohan was Saiyaman as well since he had once seen Saiyaman fairly close. Pegaro also met Bulma, Trunks, and Vegeta. Though he would rather have foregone meeting Vegeta.  
  
Well, how was that chapter? I'm already running out of ideas for this fic. Well, for the chapters up to the World Martial Arts Tournament at least. 


	3. Chapter Two: Gohan Has Some Surpises

Several months go by without much of an incident. Videl did find out that Gohan was Saiyaman though and blackmailed him into teaching her how to fly. He disappeared from school to train for the tournament. A week before the tournament Gohan shows back up in school.  
  
"Hey Gohan, where ya been?" Erasa asks as he walks into the classroom.  
  
"Well, I had some things I needed to take care of," he lies, "mom needed a lot of extra help around the house and with dad gone that meant me."  
  
"So you really are a momma's boy," Sharpener remarks.  
  
"Hey Gohan, you gonna go watch the World's Martial Arts Tournaments?" Erasa asks, "Videl's gonna compete. And you know your pal Pegaro is gonna be one of the guards."  
  
"I don't know," Gohan says, "I saw a tape of the last tournament and its become a mockery of what it used to be."  
  
"What?!" Erasa nearly shrieks, "how can you say that?"  
  
"Well, my dad and a lot of his friends used to compete in the older tournaments, back when it was the Supreme Martial Arts tournament," Gohan explains, "my dad won the last tournament and he'd been making it to the finals of the tournament since he was a kid."  
  
"Who was your dad?" Pegaro asks, "maybe he'll show up at the tournament. If he does and he makes it, I'll let you know and you can see him."  
  
"Don't bother," Gohan says, "dad's gonna be coming home and spending time with mom, Goten, and me after the tournament. Then he's gonna be leaving again to train. Plus we're gonna be meeting him before the tournament."  
  
"Who is your dad?" Sharpener asks.  
  
"My dad's name is Goku," Gohan replies.  
  
"Wait a minute," Sharpener says, "if your name is Son Gohan, and your dads name is Goku, then his name would be Son Goku, wouldn't it?"  
  
"Yes, it is," Gohan replies.  
  
"He's a martial arts legend!" Sharpener exclaims, "they say he could even be better than Hercule. But he never showed up at the last tournament so I guess we'll be finding out at this one."  
  
"Gohan, you're the son of a martial arts legend and you don't know how to fight?" Erasa asks, slightly vexed.  
  
"I can fight well enough to defend myself and others, but dad told me never to use it for popularity or personal gain," Gohan replies, "such is the way of the Kamesennin style of martial arts."  
  
"Isn't that the style developed by the Turtle Hermit Master Roshi?" a nerdy guy who had been listening in on their conversation asks (A/N: It's the same guy who sits with Sharpener and Erasa at the tournament.).  
  
"Yeah," Gohan answers, "and there are only a few people who ever mastered it. My dad, his grandfather, my mom's dad, and my dad's best friend Krillin."  
  
"Wow, you know all of the masters of the Kamesennin style of martial arts?" the nerdy guy asks.  
  
"Actually, it's more like I'm related to most of them," Gohan replies, "Krillin was like a brother to me when I was little."  
  
"Wow Gohan, for such a nerd you sure know a lot of tough guys," Sharpener says arrogantly, "next thing you know you'll be saying you know Bulma Briefs."  
  
"Actually, she was at the dinner at Gohan's house that I went to my first day here," Pegaro replies, a smug expression on his face.  
  
"You're lying," Sharpener tells Pegaro.  
  
"No, its true," Pegaro replies vehemently, "her, her husband, and her son were there and her son was acting like he was the best friend of Gohan's little brother."  
  
"Trunks is Goten's best friend," Gohan tells Pegaro, "though Vegeta hates it. He never liked my dad and hates the fact that his son is best friend with my dad's younger son. The only reason he even lets Bulma drag him over to our house is because mom can cook and Bulma can't. Normally they just eat take out."  
  
"Will they be at the tournament with you?" Erasa asks.  
  
"Probably, considering Vegeta's gonna be entering," Gohan replies, "I just hope Bulma's gotten him to stop killing people for looking at him wrong. That really wreaked havoc on their marriage until Trunks was born."  
  
"Well, its time for class, so lets wait to finish this conversation at lunch," says Jesse, who wasn't even in the conversation at all and rarely ever spoke to anybody. In fact, during his short time at Orange Star he had somehow alienated just about everyone except for Gohan. In fact, it seemed as if he tried to avoid him. Zarvon just ignored him and Pegaro didn't seem to care.  
  
The rest of the day went by without much trouble. Erasa drilled Gohan on how well he knew the Briefs while Sharpener just feigned interest. Videl listened as well even though she had gotten quite a bit of information about Gohan when he was teaching her to fly.  
  
Jesse listened with interest. Zarvon just feigned interest, though he actually did listen when something caught his attention.  
  
"Gohan, you're never gonna cease to amaze me," Erasa giggles, "you know the Briefs and a lot of tough martial artists who could possibly give Hercule a run for his money."  
  
"Why weren't they at the last tournament?" Videl asks, getting tired of the conversation.  
  
"They were busy training," Gohan replies, "there hadn't been a tournament since the one my dad won and it had been more than the traditional five years so I guess they may have decided to stop the tournament completely. Dad and Piccolo really tore up the ring."  
  
Jesse listens intently to all of this. Gohan had practically been an enigma to him ever since he had arrived. He obviously had a lot of power, but he practically denied even knowing how to fight. Was it possible for someone to be so strong naturally?  
  
Zarvon also listens to Gohan talk as well. Something just wasn't right with Gohan.  
  
"What is this tournament?" he asks, "I haven't heard anything about it."  
  
"The World's Martial arts Tournament is gonna be next week," Erasa explains, "the grand prize is 1,000,000 zenny. Videl is gonna enter, and her dad is gonna be in it since he is the defending champion."  
  
"Where does it take place?" Zarvon asks, "I'd like to see it."  
  
"Its in South City," Erasa replies, "its quite a distance from here though."  
  
"Thanks," Zarvon replies, "I'll see you there."  
  
After school, Videl catches up to Gohan.  
  
"So Gohan, you gonna keep your word?" Videl asks.  
  
"Of course Videl," Gohan replies, "can you imagine how Erasa would react if she found out I was Saiyaman?"  
  
"Its bad enough listening to her say she knows the daughter of the man who saved the world," Videl replies with a ticked tone of voice, "but she means well and she's nice. She's one of the few people who like me for me, not because I'm the daughter of Hercule. Sharpner treats me with respect, though I know he isn't much different from a lot of other guys."  
  
"Hey, don't compare me to Sharpner!" Gohan cries out.  
  
"Wouldn't dream of it," Videl says with an evil gleam in her eye that reminded Gohan way too much of Vegeta, "say, does Pegaro know about you being Saiyaman?"  
  
"Goten spilled everything at dinner that night," Gohan replies miserably, "so did Vegeta. You can't keep that man quiet if you gag him. I remember one time he was beaten practically to death and he was still talking like Erasa does normally."  
  
"Is that possible?" Videl asks, stunned.  
  
"Most of the time nowadays Vegeta is quiet, but when he talks or has a chance to make fun of someone he doesn't like, he won't shut up," Gohan says, "well Videl, I gotta go home now. Mom needs me to catch dinner and I think there's a T-rex roaming around whose tail would make great steaks." With that, he presses the button on his Saiyaman watch and flies off.  
  
~A few days later after school~  
  
Gohan, in his Saiyaman outfit, flies down and blocks the storm of bullets that was about to hit Videl.  
  
"You okay, Miss Videl?" he asks in his Saiyaman voice.  
  
"I'm okay Saiyaman," Videl replies, "think you can disarm these guys? Do that and I can take it from there."  
  
"No problem, Miss Videl," 'Saiyaman' says. Moving quickly, he disarms the three crooks with the guns. The moment she notices that all of the gunmen are unarmed, Videl leaps into action. Delivering a sharp kick to one guys gut, following it with a chop to the back of his neck, she takes out the first would be criminal. She then lunges for the next, delivering a punch to his face that sends him into a nearby wall.  
  
The final guy was a bit tougher. He pulled out a switchblade and stabbed at Videl, who dodged and grabbed the guys wrist and flipped him over her shoulder. He lands with a thud.  
  
"Well, 'Saiyaman', I can take care of these guys until the cops are able to take care of them," Videl says, "and remember, the tournament is Monday."  
  
"Don't worry Videl, I'll be there," 'Saiyaman' says, "I'll be there. After all, my dad's competing and you don't think I'd miss a chance to see him? I haven't seen him in seven years."  
  
"Okay, but make sure you're there or I'll blow your secret wide open," videl threatens. Gohan just chuckles and flies off.  
  
Zarvon was stretching at the same time Gohan was disarming the crooks. He was planning on entering the world tournament and win himself some money. He was sure that he wouldn't win if the fighters his scouter had picked up when he arrived were competing, but he would probably win some money at least. Moving things was too lowly an occupation for a proud Saiyan warrior such as himself. But once he learned more about this planet, he would get a job suitable for a warrior of his rank. He was a Saiyan Elite! He was among the mightiest warriors planet Vegeta had ever produced!  
  
But the sad matter of fact was that three of the warriors on this planet were stronger than King Vegeta would ever be. Silently, Zarvon goes back to exercising as rigorous as possible, hoping that his ki wasn't detected.  
  
Jesse was training as well in Zunzabud Heights. Unlike Zarvon, he had nom worries about his power being detected, even though he could sense the other major powers. He didn't care though. From what he could sense, only two of them, neither of them even human, came even close to his power. And he had erected a barrier of sorts that kept anyone, even the Guardian of the Earth, from detecting his power. Going through intricate routines, Jesse prepares for the tournament. He could sense that times were changing and that things would develop at the Tenkaichi Budoukai.  
  
At Kami's Lookout, Piccolo meditated. He could sense that what he had sensed some time ago was about to happen. He delves deeper into his meditation in an attempt to gather more information. Unfortunately, this was not to be.  
  
"Dabura, Yamu and Spopovitch will gather energy for Majin Buu at the Tenkaichi Budoukai," a short wrinkled yellow alien says, "fighters will have a higher level of energy, especially those pure of heart like this champion of theirs."  
  
"Yes, Babidi," Dabura says, "Yamu and Spopovitch will gather plenty of energy for us to resurrect Majin Buu and then the destruction of the universe will be at hand." 'And then I can kill you once I merge with this creature,' he adds with a thought, 'serving a lowly wizard such as yourself is beneath me, Dabura the Demon King!' 


	4. Chapter Three: The Tournament Begins

On the day of the world tournament, Gohan and the other Z Warriors arrive at the island where the Tenkaichi Budoukai will occur and wait for Goku. Goku arrives with Baba and sees Gohan and Chichi again after seven years and meets his son Goten for the very first time. But when the get to the sign up desk, Gohan is startled to see Zarvon and Jesse there signing up to fight.  
  
Jesse was wearing baggy white pants with a blue sash and a black jacket. He was surprisingly well built for someone who seemed to be as much a bookworm as Gohan. But that wasn't what startled everyone. What startled them was that Zarvon was wearing his Saiyan battle armor, though of a style different from what Frieza's henchmen wore and what the Saiyans wore when they were forced to serve Frieza. The outer armor was white, but the garment underneath was a startling bluish-green. He was apparently wearing a fur belt, though Vegeta did not see it.  
  
Videl was surprised to see Jesse and Zarvon there for the tournament as well. Gohan, since he was in his garments as the great Saiyaman, could not ask them any questions, but Videl could. Naturally, Zarvon and Jesse avoided all of her questions with relative ease.  
  
The biggest Surprise was seeing Pegaro sign up for the tournament. He explained shortly thereafter that he had decided to go ahead and give it a try. The people at the tournament had found a guy by the name of Tien to be a guard and since he was a former champion, they offered him the job immediately. Pegaro was dressed in an outfit that reminded Gohan of what he was wearing when they first met: loose white t-shirt, loose-fitting pants, and a red bandanna.  
  
As the men pull out the punching machine, the Z Warriors groan. This was ridiculous! The Tenkaichi Budoukai had become a mockery of what it had once been. Piccolo destroys all of the cameras as Hercule Satan, the World Champion of Martial Arts, poses.  
  
Not to be too distressed, Hercule puts all of his power into a single punch. He gets a score of 127.  
  
A few more fighters go through, only a few of them getting over a hundred. Then it was Number Eighteen's turn. She goes up to the machine and lightly taps it. After blurring through the numbers, it says that her score is 774. Krillin yells at his wife, asking her if that is what she called taking it easy. Eighteen merely responds by hitting the machine again, this time softer and getting a score of 203. Krillin walks up and gets a score of 189. Piccolo goes up and scores 210. Goku barely taps the machine and scores a 197. Zarvon goes up and scores a 340, much to the amazement of Gohan and the other Z Warriors, as well as Videl. Jesse walks up and scores a 320. When it finally comes to Videl's turn, she surprises herself by scoring a 175. Gohan himself held back as much as possible and scored a 201 much to Videl's amazement.  
  
After Gohan and Videl leave to watch the junior division finals, Spopovitch walks up to the machine and scores a 213, followed by Yamu who scores a 200. Shin and Kabito follow them and score a 150 and a 170 respectively.  
  
After watching the junior division and catching a bite to eat, the Z Warriors and the other 15 lucky competitors who scored high enough to be in the First Round. And so the process of deciding who fights when is decided.  
  
Krillin, as unlucky as always when it comes to the draw, draws number one. Yamu draws number two. Piccolo draws number three and Shin draws number four. Videl draws number five and Spopovitch draws number six. Gohan, as Saiyaman, draws number seven and Mighty Mask, whom unknown to all of the others had been replaced with Goten and Trunks, draws number eight. Goku draws number nine and Vegeta draws number ten. Kabito draws number eleven and Zarvon draws number twelve. Number Eighteen draws number thirteen and Jesse draws number fourteen. Gohan felt bad for his classmate having to fight one of the strongest people in the universe. Finally, Hercule draws number fifteen and Pegaro draws number sixteen. Videl felt bad for Gohan's friend for having to fight her dad.  
  
"All right ladies and gentlemen, it is time for the Tenkaichi Budoukai, the World's Martial Arts Tournament!" the announcer says into his microphone, "this time around we have the return of many former competitors, as well as the champion who took the title before Hercule! I am talking about none other than the legendary Son Goku! And the man he beat in the finals of the 23rd Tenkaichi Budoukai is here as well! Today is gonna go down in the history books. We have some of the youngest competitors ever in the Adult division, though if we didn't have the junior division then Son Goku would have lost the record as being the youngest competitor to reach the tournament itself. The two I am talking about are, of course, our Junior Champion Trunks Briefs and the runner up Son Goten!"  
  
The crowd cheers, still amazed by the impressive fight Goten and Trunks had given them even though its end had been anti-climactic.  
  
"For the first match, we have Krillin, a many time semi-finalist who has been competing since he was only thirteen, before the development of the Junior Division. He first appeared in the 20th Tenkaichi Budoukai and lost to the man who became the champion of that tournament, the elderly Jackie Chun! His opponent is Yamu, who showed up in the last tournament, but didn't do so well and made it only as far as the First Round. How will Yamu do against a veteran of Krillin's skill? We shall find out soon enough!"  
  
"The second match is between Majunior and Shin. Majunior competed in the 23rd Tenkaichi Budoukai and made it as far as the finals, but lost to Son Goku. Their match destroyed the ring and we considered disbanding the tournament for a few years. His opponent is Shin. We don't know much about him, but he is obviously strong to have made it this far."  
  
"For our third match we have Videl. She is the daughter of our beloved champion and won the Junior Division in the last tournament Now she helps the Satan City Police department capture crooks as well as go to school. And her opponent is Spopovitch, a man who lost in the First Round of the last tournament to Videl's father, Hercule. He may be looking for a bit of revenge and probably plans to take a bit of it out on Videl. How exciting."  
  
"Our next match has another one of Satan City's defenders, the Great Saiyaman. Since the rules of the tournament prohibit protective headgear, which his usual helmet would be considered, he has opted for a turban and sunglasses to keep his face hidden. And his opponent is Mighty Mask. Mighty Mask appeared in the last tournament but never made it past the First Round. Will he do better? We shall have to wait and see."  
  
"Our next fight is between Goku, a man who has been in the Tenkaichi Budoukai since he was twelve, and Vegeta, a man whom we know next to nothing about, but seems to have a strong dislike for Goku. Goku is actually favored to win the tournament and reclaim the title since he wasn't in the last tournament. And Vegeta just seems to want to fight Goku. Well, now they'll have their chance at the Tenkaichi Budoukai!"  
  
"Our sixth match is between Kabito and Zarvon. Kabito is another unknown who has entered this tournament, as is Zarvon. Both are big guys and appear to be quite strong. Who will win this fight? We'll have to wait and see."  
  
"Our seventh match is between Number Eighteen and Jesse. Eighteen is quite a beauty who appears to be ruthless. I have also confirmed it that she is Krillin's wife. Will these two spouses face each other in the finals? Her opponent is Jesse, a young man whom we have been unable to get no background information on. He's a newcomer with an obvious amount of strength, considering that the punch machine had to be recalibrated after he punched it. We have been able to confirm that Jesse goes to school with Videl Satan and Zarvon."  
  
"And our final match is between our returning champion Hercule and a young man by the name of Pegaro." The announcer waits for the fans to stop cheering for Hercule. "Hercule, as you know, is the current champion of the Tenkaichi Budoukai and the man who saved the world by defeating Cell seven years ago. Pegaro is an unknown. We do know that he goes to the same school as Videl and two of our other competitors. Will schoolmates fight each other? Will Pegaro cause a major upset and defeat Hercule? Hey, I've seen stranger things at this tournament, so it can happen."  
  
"And with the introductions out of the way, may we now proceed with the first match? Krillin versus Yamu. Krillin always seems to be able to make it through the first match, but gets clobbered in the one after by the next champion. Of course, back then we only had eight competitors vying for the title. Yamu did fairly well in the last tournament, even though he didn't do so well. Well, let the match begin. Ready and go!"  
  
Yamu rushes at Krillin, punching at Krillin's head with his right fist. Krillin ducks and delivers a sharp blow to Yamu's gut, causing Yamu to double over in pain. Krillin then kicks Yamu in the side of the head, sending Yamu careening to the edge. At the last moment, Yamu gets his balance back and flips, landing on his feet, the launches himself at Krillin. Surprised by this, Krillin takes the force of the attack that Yamu launches full strength. A series of punches and kicks to the gut and face have Krillin reeling.  
  
At the sidelines, the Z Warriors are amazed at Yamu's level of skill.  
  
"How can he be that good?" Goku asked, "Krillin is one of the strongest humans, and he's being pummeled as if he was fighting someone much stronger than him."  
  
"Yamu is stronger than Krillin," Piccolo says, "but his power is twisted."  
  
Just then, Yamu launches a ki blast at Krillin, hitting him in the chest and knocking him out. But he doesn't stop there. He continues his assault, punching Krillin numerous times in the chest and head. He finally ends it with a brutal kick to Krillin's head, sending him into the wall, creating an indention  
  
"And Yamu is the winner!" the announcer declares, "Krillin is knocked out and out of the ring. That's as bad as you can lose."  
  
In the stands, Marron is practically speechless.  
  
"Daddy lost?" she asks.  
  
"Don't worry Marron, he's tough," Yamcha says, "he'll be okay once he has a chance to rest." 'What I wanna know is how that guy got so strong? Except for the other Z Warriors, Master Roshi is the only person on the planet with power anywhere close to Krillin's.'  
  
Number Eighteen rushes out to the ring and picks up her husband. She turns to look at Yamu.  
  
"You had better hope we don't end up fighting each other," she says, glaring at Yamu, "but I think some friends of my husband's will beat me to you."  
  
With that, she walks off carrying Krillin.  
  
"Is he gonna be alright?" Gohan asks.  
  
"Come on Gohan, you know you've seen Krillin take better shots than what Yamu could give him," Goku says, "Piccolo used to do worse to him when he was trying to take over the world."  
  
"If you say so," Gohan says.  
  
"Alright, the next match is between Majunior and Shin! Will the fighters please come out to the ring. It is time for your match."  
  
Piccolo and the strange man known as Shin walk out to the ring. As he passes Yamu, Shin gives him an odd look.  
  
From the sidelines, Jesse is watching Kabito and Shin very closely. 'What are they doing here?' he wonders, 'they aren't supposed to mess with the mortal world unless it is something that threatens the entire universe. They obviously did nothing when Cell arrived, so why now? What could possibly be worse than Cell? Could they know of my mission to find Dabura?'  
  
"Alright, ready and go!" The announcer's declaration of the fight draws Jesse out of his thoughts.  
  
'Majunior is obviously strong, and most definitely an alien,' Jesse thinks, 'but does he have a chance against the Supreme Kai?'  
  
After not saying a word to each other and apparently doing nothing, Piccolo forfeits the match.  
  
"Hey Piccolo, why did you do it?" Goku asks.  
  
"I can't say right now," Piccolo replies, "just don't take this guy lightly."  
  
"Well, at least he's fighting Yamu next and not one of us," Gohan says.  
  
Pegaro walks up to watch the fights. Videl is beside him.  
  
"Hey Saiyaman, does Videl know who you are yet? She always tells us in class that she's gonna unmask you." Pegaro says that last bit with a smirk.  
  
"Yeah Pegaro, she found out who I am," Gohan replies, "a slight mistake in the dinosaur incident gave her all the clues she needed."  
  
"Man, that's a bummer Gohan," Pegaro says, much to Videl's amazement.  
  
"Wait, you knew it was Gohan?" Videl asks Pegaro.  
  
"His little brother spilled everything at that dinner I went to at his house months ago," Pegaro replies.  
  
"Hey Pegaro, you know you're fighting my dad, right?" Videl asks.  
  
"Yeah, and I'm nervous about it," Pegaro answers, "I'll have to rely on my speed if I'm to have any hopes of winning. You're dad is definitely stronger than me, but he's not very agile. If I use my agility properly, I could actually win."  
  
"You're kidding," Videl says.  
  
"No, he's right," Gohan says, "take the leader of the Red Shark Gang for example. You know he was physically stronger than you, right?" Videl nods.  
  
"And yet you beat him without my help," Gohan says, "because you were more agile than he was. All you had to do was get out of his grip and stay out of it and you could beat him. And that is exactly what you did."  
  
"Yeah, it is," Videl says, "so you actually think you can win against my dad Pegaro?"  
  
"I'd say there's a fifty percent chance that I'll win," Pegaro replies, "he's just too strong for me to fight head on. I'll have to use my wits and my speed if I'm to have any hope of winning."  
  
"Are you saying my dad is dumb?" Videl demands angrily.  
  
"No, I'm just saying that I'll have to use my speed to beat him instead of trying to show him up by matching him strength for strength," Pegaro replies calmly, "his strength is his greatest asset, but if you don't have wits and speed to back it up, its worthless."  
  
"That's for sure," Gohan says, "I remember when I was a kid, maybe 10 years ago, I got in a fight with a guy who was nearly ten times my size, yet I beat him up. He was so muscled up that he could barely move. His agility was almost nonexistent."  
  
"Reminiscing about our fight with Garlic Jr, Gohan?" Piccolo asks.  
  
"Just giving Videl an example that brute strength is not the only way to go, but sometimes it can actually hurt," Gohan says.  
  
"Garlic Jr was certainly an example of that," Piccolo says with a faint grin, "glad he's gone, trapped in the Dead Zone for all eternity."  
  
"The Dead Zone?" Videl and Pegaro ask in unison.  
  
"Um, I'll explain later," Gohan says, "besides, Videl, its time for your match."  
  
"Right," Videl says.  
  
"Videl, be careful, "Gohan says, "you saw what that guys partner did to Krillin." Videl just smirks and heads for the ring.  
  
It didn't take long for the Z Warriors to realize that Videl, though supposedly the strongest non-Z Warrior at the tournament, was no match for Spopovitch. Pegaro watches in amazement as Gohan gets really mad. Zarvon watches in interest as well. There was something familiar about the Great Saiyaman, and his Saiyan ears enabled him to hear the others speak his name. They called him Gohan.  
  
'But it can't be the same Son Gohan that I know,' Zarvon thinks to himself, 'there's just no way that little dweeb is a fighter capable of doing so well. Then again, everything about the way he moves reminds me of Gohan. The same with this other guy who looks like King Vegeta. And this other guy who reminds me of Bardock. Each of them, the way they move, everything about them down to their appetites says seasoned Saiyan warrior. What is going on here?'  
  
At that moment, Gohan goes Super Saiyan and rushes to the ring. But at that same moment Yamu tells Spopovitch to stop and end the match. Spopvitch grudgingly does so and kicks Videl out of the ring. Gohan powers down and rushes over to pick Videl up. Telling the announcer to forge the stretcher, he takes Videl to the back to take her to the medical wing.  
  
"Dad, I'm gonna take Videl to the doctors so they can start healing her," Gohan says.  
  
"Wait a minute Gohan, you have a match up next," Pegaro says, "hand Videl over to me and I'll take her to the infirmary. You just go and pound Mighty Mask so you can get your revenge on Spopovitch for us."  
  
"Okay Pegaro," Gohan says, reluctantly handing Videl over to his friend, "I trust you."  
  
With that, Gohan starts to head back out to the ring.  
  
"Um, Gohan?" Pegaro asks.  
  
"What?" Gohan demands.  
  
"Put you're bandanna back on," Pegaro says, "the only thing even remotely protecting your identity at the moment is the sunglasses. And I saw Sharpner and Erasa out in the audience and they have binoculars. If you don't hide your hair, I'm sure they'll be able to recognize you."  
  
"I could always transform," Gohan replies.  
  
"And let people think of the Cell Games if you have to power up more for some reason?" Pegaro asks, "and why are you against the bandanna? You've told me maintaining Super Saiyan takes a bit of energy out of you and I'm sure you're gonna need it against your dad or Vegeta, depending on who wins their match. Depending on who wins."  
  
Zarvon's mouth gapes open at hearing the word 'Super Saiyan'. Gohan was a Saiyan? A Super Saiyan? There was just no way.  
  
"Thanks Pegaro," Gohan says and puts the bandanna back on, "just take care of Videl. I'll be back there as soon as the match is up. It shouldn't take long."  
  
"Right," Pegaro says and leaves carrying Videl.  
  
"Gohan, I'm gonna go and get some senzu beans from Korrin," Goku says and places his index and middle fingers against his head, "I'll be back as soon as possible." With that, Goku uses his Instant Transmission to teleport to Korrin's Tower.  
  
"Well, Mighty Mask, looks like its our turn to fight," Gohan says as he walks to the ring.  
  
"Just great," Trunks mutters, "our first fight and we gotta face your brother. Man, he's gonna cream us. Even if we do go Super and he doesn't he can still beat us."  
  
"No way Trunks," Goten says, "I could force him to go Super if I went Super, so if we both go Super and fight him then he'll lose."  
  
"Are you serious Goten?" Trunks asks, "even dad says that Gohan is still probably stronger than him, even if it is just by a little bit now. Besides, if we go Super then he'll probably figure out its us."  
  
During all of this, Piccolo listens to what the two kids were saying and smirks in amusement. Those two were a great team, just like Gohan and Krillin had been on Namek, or the way he and Goku had been when fighting Raditz. If they weren't discovered, then they actually had a chance at winning the whole tournament.  
  
"It will be an interesting match, don't you think so Piccolo?" Shin comes up and asks the Namek, "it'll be an interesting match. Brother against brother, in a way. Even if young Trunks is working with Goten to fight."  
  
"How do you know that?" Piccolo asks, shocked.  
  
"Why, I am telepathic, remember?" Shin asks.  
  
"Tell me, are you the Grand Kai?" Piccolo asks suddenly, tensing up.  
  
"No, I'm not," Shin replies easily. Piccolo eases up.  
  
"I'll tell you who he is," Kabito says, then looks straight at Piccolo, "he is the Supreme Kai."  
  
Piccolo's face was one of absolute shock.  
  
'I know of the 4 Kai's that watch over the universe, and the Grand Kai above them,' he muses to himself, 'I've always suspected that thee was someone even higher than the Grand Kai, but I've never been certain. Until now.'  
  
"Please keep this to yourself," Shin asks, "I would like to wait before telling the others about myself."  
  
As the match between Mighty Mask and the Great Saiyaman is underway, Gohan realizes immediately that there is something tremendously wrong with his opponent.  
  
'He appears to have two sources of ki, and they are both extremely familiar,' he thinks to himself, 'and they are way to high to be humans that we don't know about.'  
  
Silently, he takes to the air to take a moment to think. Unfortunately, Mighty Mask surprises him and takes to the air as well.  
  
'Wow, this is unexpected,' Gohan thinks, 'first Spopovitch flies, now Mighty Mask. What next, a ki attack?'  
  
As if to answer his question, Trunks fires a small ki blast from his left hand at Gohan. Gohan effortlessly knocks the attack away and fires a weak blast. The blast misses Trunks head, but it tears through the mask enough for Gohan to see some of the face underneath.  
  
'Its Trunks!' Gohan mentally yells at himself, 'and I'll bet Goten is being the legs. Well, they will get disqualified for being two people if discovered. I know they wanted to be in the adult competition, but they shouldn't have done this.' Focusing his ki, Gohan repairs Mighty Mask's mask and moves in close and grabs him under the arms.  
  
"Sorry about this Trunks, Goten, but you are breaking the rules." Trunks and Goten both freeze when Gohan calls them by name. "I'm gonna be nice about this and force you for a ring out. Try and get back to the back before the others get ahold of you and run. That way they'll never know about it and you can go and watch the rest of the tournament. Besides, you know I can reveal you to the world and get you two disqualified. Who would you rather have upset with you: just me for being disappointed in you, or mom and Bulma being mad at you for getting caught?"  
  
That last question hits home. "Um, Gohan, do you think we can forfeit?" Trunks asks.  
  
"It'll be a bit odd after this," Gohan says, "don't worry, I won't hurt you too badly in the ring out. Besides Trunks, you'll be taking most of the hit and I'm sure Vegeta has beat you up worse in training with him."  
  
"Okay Gohan, you win," Trunks says in resignation.  
  
"Hey, after the tournament how about I spar with you two both in an area the size of the ring, just to see how good you really are?" Gohan asks, sensing their disappointment.  
  
"Really, big brother?" Goten asks.  
  
"Promise," Gohan says.  
  
"Fine, throw us out of the ring," Trunks says, "Goten and I can ditch this ugly costume quickly and no one will know but you."  
  
"I'm guessing you've forgotten about Piccolo's hearing," Gohan says with a smirk, "if you've talked to each other in costume anywhere in the back, then he knows."  
  
"Oh boy, he won't tell will he?" Trunks asks.  
  
"Probably not," Gohan says, "I'm sure he understands you wanting to fight people closer to your own strength."  
  
Then, without warning, Gohan plummets to the ground still holding Mighty Mask. He heads straight for the grass outside of the ring and lets go of Trunks and Goten and flies back up. The momentum of the downward plunge sends Goten and Trunks into the ground, outside of the ring.  
  
"And the Great Saiyaman wins it!" the announcer says, "give him a round of applause for such a brilliant victory maneuver."  
  
Gohan, slipping totally into the Great Saiyaman mentality, does a few poses that made Hercule's poses look good.  
  
"Oh yeah, I'm so good," Gohan smirks to himself.  
  
When he gets back to the back stage, everyone is looking at him funny.  
  
"What?" Gohan asks, completely oblivious to how corny his routine is.  
  
"Boy, the Ginyu Force should sue you from beyond the grave for imitating them," Vegeta snorts, though it is obvious he is trying not to laugh. Krillin, however, is laughing his head off.  
  
"Gohan, you sure know how to throw people off your trail," Krillin says between chuckles.  
  
"What do you mean?" Gohan asks.  
  
"You honestly don't know?" Vegeta demands, "boy, you just imitated Jiece's routine almost perfectly, not to mention Burter's and that idiot Recoome's. You were showing off as if you were a member of the Ginyu!"  
  
Upon hearing that, Gohan's face flushes. "Gee, and I simply thought it looked cool," he murmurs.  
  
Upon hearing this, Vegeta actually bursts out laughing, as does Krillin. Even Eighteen chuckles, along with Jesse and Zarvon.  
  
"Boy, just promise me that you'll never, ever do that again," Vegeta says when he finally stops laughing, "you'll disgrace every remaining Saiyan with such foolishness."  
  
Upon hearing the word Saiyan, Zarvon yells "What!". Hearing this, the others turn to him. Vegeta glares at him.  
  
"Weren't you ever told not to listen in on the conversations of others?" Vegeta demands.  
  
"Sorry, but I thought I heard something that sounded familiar," Zarvon says.  
  
"And what would that be, human?" Vegeta demands.  
  
At that, Zarvon glares at Vegeta. Vegeta matches his glare with one of his own. Finally, Zarvon looks away in disinterest.  
  
"Easy, Zarvon, easy big guy," Jesse says, laying a hand on Zarvon shoulder, "this is one guy you do not want to mess with. He's much stronger than you. Or can't you tell?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Zarvon demands, turning to face Jesse.  
  
"You can't sense ki energy?" Jesse asks, surprised, "I thought you were, seeing as how you were extremely strong yourself."  
  
"What do you mean, you can sense ki?" Zarvon demands. Jesse sighs.  
  
"Not exactly," Jesse says, "but I can detect a person's personal life force, and they have incredible life energies. And one of them is extremely familiar to us both." He turns to look at Gohan and smirks. "Isn't that right, Gohan?"  
  
Gohan gapes at Jesse. Jesse just smiles.  
  
"It wasn't too difficult," Jesse says, "after all, all of your friends were calling you Gohan. And I definitely recognized your hair style when your bandanna flew off."  
  
"Um, mind not telling the kids at school about this?" Gohan asks.  
  
"Of course," Jesse snorts, then smirks.  
  
Suddenly, Goku reappears.  
  
"Dad, do you have the senzu beans?" Gohan asks.  
  
"Of course Gohan," Goku says, "but there's only three." He hands one to Gohan.  
  
"Thanks dad." Gohan turns and runs for the infirmary.  
  
"Kakarott, it is time for our match," Vegeta says.  
  
"So Gohan won?" Goku asks with a grin.  
  
"Ring out," Vegeta says, "and his opponent ran out so fast even I couldn't follow him once the decision was announced."  
  
"Well, shall we go now?" Goku asks, stepping out.  
  
"And here we have a match I myself have been anticipating," the announcer says into his mic, "Goku is a returning former champion. He didn't participate in the last tournament, but has made it to the finals of every tournament he has ever been in. He first participated at the age of twelve and lost to the old master Jackie Chun. He then entered the next tournament and lost to Tenshinhan. But when he entered the next tournament, he won in the finals against another competitor in today's tournament, Majunior. And if you haven't heard of Goku, then I know you've heard of the man who taught him. That man is none other than Master Roshi, a man who won the Tenkaichi Budoukai himself many years ago. Master Roshi is among the most revered martial artists of all time. If not for his age, he could still very well be the greatest martial artist in the world. It would be a wonder if he is still alive."  
  
At hearing the part about his age, Master Roshi falls over anime style.  
  
"As for Vegeta, we know nothing about him except that he is only in this tournament to fight Goku. Now, let the match begin!" the announcer says.  
  
Vegeta leaps at Goku, sending a flurry of punches at him. Goku blocks and counters with a kick to the head. Vegeta ducks and punches Goku in the gut. Taking a couple of steps back, holding his stomach.  
  
"I told you I would punch you in the gut," Vegeta smirks, "ready to give up?"  
  
"Not by a long shot Vegeta," Goku says, moving back into his fighting stance, "you sure you're ready?"  
  
"Of course I am, you baka," Vegeta snorts, setting into his own fighting stance.  
  
The two known remaining members of the Saiyan race clash head on, again and again. The sheer force of their blows sends shockwaves through the air.  
  
Meanwhile, Gohan heads into the back to find Videl and give her a senzu bean. He locks onto Videl and Pegaro's ki signatures and runs to them.  
  
"You got something to help her?" Pegaro asks when Gohan rushes in and knocks Hercule aside, "the doctor says she'll be fine, but the recovery will take a while. She's lucky she's not crippled for life."  
  
"Spopovitch is gonna regret doing this to our friend," Gohan says angrily, "but I got something here to help her."  
  
"Hey punk, just who do you think you are?" Hercule demands when he gets back to his feet.  
  
"Hey Videl, can you hear me?" Gohan asks gently. Videl nods, though its obvious she is in extreme pain.  
  
"Don't worry Videl, you're gonna be okay," Gohan says. He takes a bean out of the bag. "Videl, this is a senzu bean. It'll fix you up as good as new."  
  
"Hey, don't think you can impress my daughter with a bean!" Hercule bellows, "doc, tell him my daughter can't eat that!"  
  
"Hey, see here," the doctor, a very aged man says, "don't give my patient anything funny now, young man."  
  
"Don't worry, she'll be as good as new after eating this," Gohan says.  
  
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Hercule bellows at the top of his voice.  
  
"D.dad," Videl says weakly, bringing Hercule's temper down a bit, "I trust him. If..if he says it'll help, I believe him."  
  
"Thanks Videl," Gohan says softly and then puts the bean in her mouth. Videl chews.  
  
"Videl, spit it out!" Hercule demands.  
  
"Well, come on Pegaro," Gohan says, "Zarvon's match is up next and we don't wanna miss it."  
  
"Sure thing, Saiyaman," Pegaro says. The two friends exit the infirmary quickly. Hercule chases them to the door, yelling past the press.  
  
"YEAH, YOU BETTER RUN!" he bellows. Then he remembers that Gohan had put one of the beans in Videl's mouth. He runs back to Videl's side.  
  
Videl finishes chewing and swallows. Her eyes stay closed for a moment, then she opens them wide. She sits up and looks at her hands, her mouth wide open in amazement. She then leaps to her feet, her fist raised in the air.  
  
"I'm all better now!" she cries out. The doctor and Hercule both stare at her, eyes and mouths wide open in shock.  
  
Gohan and Pegaro arrive at the entrance to the stadium just in time to see Goku and Vegeta return. Gohan looks at the two Saiyans.  
  
"Hey dad, hey Vegeta. Who won?"  
  
"Kakarott won, but barely," Vegeta snorts, "he got me in a ring out. Otherwise, I would have had him."  
  
"I just got lucky Vegeta," Goku says, "you've definitely gotten tougher in the seven years I've been gone."  
  
"What else is there for me to do?" Vegeta demands, "Gohan has hardly trained at all in the last seven years."  
  
"Is this true Gohan?" Goku asks, amused.  
  
"Yeah dad, it is," Gohan says sheepishly, "I mean, there isn't really much of a point training. I just couldn't put my hear tin it with you gone."  
  
"Well Gohan, I must say that I am a bit disappointed in you," Goku says, "but there is only one guy in Otherworld anywhere near as strong as we are. Right now I'm training because in three hundred years I'll get a lesson from the Grand Kai, just like Pikkon."  
  
"How long do you normally have to train to get a lesson?" Vegeta asks, amused.  
  
"Ten thousand," Goku says.  
  
"Just for a single lesson?" Vegeta asks, "has anyone ever done it?"  
  
"No one from the Eastern Quadrant, which is what we live in. I am the strongest warrior in the entire Eastern Quadrant that is dead," Goku replies. The announcer interrupts before he can say anything else.  
  
"Will Zarvon and Kabito please report to the ring. It is time for your match."  
  
"Hey, good luck Kabito," Gohan says. Pegaro nods his head in agreement.  
  
"This guy isn't tough," Zarvon says, "my only competition here is from you three, if you are Saiyans." With that he walks back to the ring.  
  
"How does he know about the Saiyans?" Goku asks, "and just who is he?"  
  
"Well, he goes to school with me, along with Pegaro, Jesse, and Videl," Gohan explains, "he doesn't socialize much so we don't know that much about him."  
  
"He's displaced in time," Jesse says softly, "he doesn't know that he is fifty years behind the times."  
  
"What do you mean by that, boy?" Vegeta demands.  
  
"Watch this match and see, Prince Vegeta," Jesse says calmly, apparently not intimidated by Vegeta, "what you will see will shock and amaze you."  
  
"Zarvon and Kabito are both newcomers who scored high on the punching machine. They both eclipsed Hercule's punch by a long shot. Kabito shas the size advantage, but size definitely does not matter in this tournament. When Krillin first competed many years ago, he defeated Bacterium, a man three times larger than Kabito. So don't count Zarvon out just because he's smaller."  
  
Zarvon crouches down into a classic Saiyan fighting stance. Kabito just stands there.  
  
"And begin!"  
  
Zarvon launches himself at Kabito, launching himself into a flurry of punches. Kabito blocks and gets pushed back to the edge of the ring.  
  
Zarvon jumps back and launches a ki blast at Kabito, who knocks it aside and punches Zarvon in the gut. He then follows up with a vicious kick to the gut and then another punch to the gut. The final punch sends Zarvon flying into the air.  
  
Zarvon finally stops himself and dives at Kabito and launches himself into an intricate array of punches and kicks but Kabito blocks them all. The two fighters fight back and forth in midair, neither one giving the other any relief.  
  
"They can fly and use ki blasts?" Gohan asks, amazed.  
  
"Yes, he can do that and so much more," Jesse says cryptically.  
  
"What do you mean by that?" Vegeta demands.  
  
"Continue watching and you shall find out, dear prince," Jesse says  
  
Shin just watches what is going on with intense interest.  
  
'Strange, I cannot feel this one's power, just like the android,' he thinks to himself, 'and the one Kabito is fighting, I do not know who he is. It is like his mind is shielded from me. He is obviously quite strong. Even though Kabito is holding back, he is matching him blow for blow.'  
  
Kabito blocks a punch to the face but gets hit in the gut. Zarvon then places his hand in front of Kabito's face, holding it in the position of a gun.  
  
"Blast Revolver!" he calls out. A tremendous blast of energy erupts from his hand and sends Kabito flying towards the edge of the ring. Zarvon follows up and knees Kabito in the gut and punches him in the face, sending him into the wall.  
  
"And Zarvon is the winner!" the announcer says, "he is going to the next round to face Goku."  
  
Zarvon walks back to the entrance to the ring area.  
  
"Nice fight Zarvon," Gohan says, "that was a very good fight."  
  
Zarvon just snorts. "It was nothing really. He was tough, but I've faced stronger opponents than him."  
  
"I find that extremely hard to believe," Kabito says from behind him. Zarvon turns to face his defeated opponent.  
  
"That may be, but it is the truth," Zarvon snaps, "consider yourself lucky that I even let you live. I could have easily killed you."  
  
"If you had killed him, you would have been disqualified from the tournament," Pegaro says. Zarvon just snorts in disgust and goes off on his own to find something to eat.  
  
"You know, there is something oddly familiar about the way he acts," Gohan says, "but I can't quite place it."  
  
"He reminds me of Nappa," Vegeta remarks, "and he is quite strong. Didn't you feel how powerful he was? He was as powerful as Kakarot was when he fought Frieza."  
  
"Your right," Goku says, "though not as strong as I was when I went Super Saiyan."  
  
"I didn't think there were any humans that strong," Krillin says, "I didn't think humans could get that strong."  
  
"They can't," Vegeta says matter-of-factly, "but there are very few alien races that look like you humans enough to pass themselves off as humans. Saiyans are among them, but Kakarott and myself are the last. And the brats."  
  
"Now it is time for our next match. Number Eighteen against Jesse!"  
  
"Well, its time for our match ma'am," Jesse says to Eighteen.  
  
"Whatever," Eighteen says emotionlessly. The two fighters walk to the ring.  
  
"Both of these fighters are making their first appearance in the Tenkaichi Budoukai," the announcer says, "I have found out that Eighteen is the wife of Krillin, who lost in the tournament's opening match. We know nothing about Jesse except that he is a classmate of Zarvon, Videl, and Pegaro, who is in the next match against Hercule."  
  
Jesse and Eighteen square off in the middle of the ring.  
  
"Don't think I'm gonna go easy on you just because you're weak," Eighteen says.  
  
"Don't think you're gonna win just because I cannot sense your ki," Jesse says, "you still have a basic life force and I can sense that." Jesse's remark surprises Eighteen, but she hides her surprise behind a mask of calm.  
  
"And begin!"  
  
Jesse and Eighteen leap at each other and launch themselves into flurries of punches and kicks. Eighteen vanishes, using her speed to move unseen behind Jesse. She kicks at the back of Jesse's head, but he ducks, spins, and kicks her in the stomach.  
  
"How did he do that?" Gohan says, surprised, "and why can't I sense his ki?"  
  
"He seems to be able to sense her in some way other than her ki," Shin says, "as for why you cannot sense his ki, I cannot hazard to guess."  
  
Jesse blocks another punch from Eighteen and punches her in the gut. He grabs her legs and begins spinning around. He spins so fast that he creates a small tornado until he finally releases Eighteen. She hits the wall and slumps to the ground.  
  
Krillin runs out to see how his wife was doing. Surprisingly, she was barely hurt but she was very dizzy.  
  
"And Jesse is the winner!" the announcer declares.  
  
"How did you do that?" Gohan asks when Jesse returns to the back area.  
  
"You will learn in time, Gohan," Jesse replies. He looks behind them. "I believe your girlfriend is alright." He says that last bit with a smirk.  
  
"My what?" Gohan says, then turns around to see Videl standing there.  
  
"Videl, you're okay!" Gohan says, running over to Videl and hugging her. Jesse smirks. So does Krillin and Goku. (A/N: Goku smirking outside of the battlefield? Now that HAS to look weird.)  
  
"So your girlfriend is alright Gohan," Krillin snickers.  
  
"She's not my girlfriend!" Gohan ells at Krillin.  
  
"Hey Gohan, did you win your match?" Videl asks.  
  
"Yep. And so did Zarvon and Jesse." Gohan says after releasing Videl from the hug, his cheeks burning red with embarrassment.  
  
"Really? Wow. Who is facing who?" Videl asks.  
  
"Well, Zarvon is facing my dad in the next round," Gohan replies, "and Jesse will face whoever wins between your dad and Pegaro."  
  
"And you're facing Spopovitch?" Videl asks, her eyes ringed with worry.  
  
"Don't worry Videl, I'm gonna take him out," Gohan says assuringly.  
  
"But if I couldn't beat him, then how can you?" Videl asks, still worried.  
  
"I'm more used to using my ki than you are," Gohan says, "I'm much faster in the air and I know how to use my ki to increase my strength. He won't even know what hit him."  
  
"Are you sure?" Videl asks.  
  
Gohan is about to reply, but eh announcer interrupts him.  
  
"And now fans, it's the moment you have been waiting for! Hercule, our reigning champion, versus Pegaro, a first time competitor. This is rue to be an interesting match."  
  
The fans cheer loudly as Hercule makes an impressive entrance.  
  
"What a goofball," Krillin mutters, "even if he does know how to please the crowd."  
  
"Fighting isn't about the fans or how much glory you achieve," Piccolo says, "its about improving yourself to be the best you can be. I doubt he's even trained at all since the Cell Games."  
  
"You're probably right about that," Videl says, "he hasn't let me train with him in years."  
  
"That's because he knows you've surpassed him, Videl," Gohan says, "once a person learns to manipulate their ki in any form, they can grow stronger by leaps and bounds with just a moderate level of training. Judging from your ki level, compared to what it was before I taught you how to fly, you've been pushing yourself to your limit and beyond."  
  
"Yeah, I have at that," Videl says, "so, when are you gonna teach me how to sense ki?"  
  
"Actually, it shouldn't be all too difficult for you to do right now," Gohan says, "just focus on your ki, then search for another's ki. You can see where you stand when compared to them because you compare their ki to your own."  
  
"That's not how it is, Gohan," Goku says, "that's just the way it was for you because you always saw yourself weaker than me. That's why you were surprised when you surpassed me all those years ago."  
  
"I guess so," Gohan says.  
  
"Hey Gohan, this Pegaro guy is a friend of your, right?" Krillin asks.  
  
"Yeah Krillin, he is," Gohan replies.  
  
"Well, I must say that he's quite strong judging from his ki level," Krillin says.  
  
Gohan chuckles. "Oh, I forgot to mention this. Pegaro knows how to move really fast by using his ki. He's been training with weighted training clothes for years. If I weren't used to seeing people move faster, I doubt I could follow him."  
  
"He's that fast?" Krillin says, surprised, "wow. Maybe I should bring him to see Master Roshi to train him. I mean, Goku taught you everything he knows. Marron isn't a fighter so I can't teach her. I've always wanted to try my hand at teaching someone how to fight."  
  
They are interrupted by the announcer telling Hercule and Pegaro to begin the fight.  
  
The moment the fight begins, Pegaro runs at Hercule, full speed, and punches him in the gut. The force of the punch knocks all of the air out of Hercule's lungs.Pegaro follows up with a jump kick to the chin and a spin kick to the side of the head. Hercule is knocked to the side, but he quickly gets up and rubs his jaw.  
  
"Wow kid, you're pretty tough," he says, "how does this sound: if you can last more than five minutes with me going all out, I'll give you free membership to my gym for a year."  
  
"It's a deal," Pegaro says, "I just hope you can keep up with me, sir."  
  
Hercule bellows out laughter. "Ha ha ha! Real funny kid. I'll admit your fast, but you just caught me by surprise. Your going down!"  
  
With that, he leaps at Pegaro and punches at him. Pegaro ducks, back flips, and kicks Hercule in the gut with both feet at the same time. The force of the blow knocks Hercule back a few feet, clutching his stomach.  
  
But Hercule quickly regains his composure.  
  
"Nice moves kid," Hercule says, "but you've got no chance against the guy who saved the world!" He says that last part really loud and punches his fist into the air.  
  
"You're right, I don't have a chance against the man who saved the world," Pegaro says with a smile, "but you're not him. I know the boy who defeated Cell. He told me you did do an important part, but you are not the man who defeated Cell. You contributed, but you didn't win."  
  
Upon hearing this, Piccolo looks at Gohan questioningly. "He knows?"  
  
This startles Gohan. "Huh? Oh. I'm guessing he just told Hercule, didn't he." Piccolo nods.  
  
"What do you mean, you little punk?" Hercule demands, "hey, I know you! You're that kid who took Videl to the infirmary! Well, you're going down now punk!" With that, Hercule leaps at Pegaro, kicking him hard with his Dynamite Kick. The crowd goes wild at seeing one of Hercule's trademark moves.  
  
The force of the kick sends Pegaro flying and he lands on the edge of the ring. Hercule comes running at Pegaro at full speed. Seeing an opportunity for an easy win, Pegaro stands up and stands ready to face Hercule's charge. But at the last moment, he disappears as he runs to the side. Hercule doesn't see his opponent vanish until it is too late and tries to stop. But just as he manages to stop himself from going outside the ring, Pegaro appears behind him and kicks him in the back and sends him falling out of the ring. He hits the ground with a thud. The crowd is speechless at seeing their beloved champion lose.  
  
"Incredible!" the announcer says, "I haven't seen anyone use the after image technique in years. Not since Son Goku won the tournament all those years ago. And since Hercule is out of the ring, I declare Pegaro the winner!"  
  
"Dad lost?" Videl says, openmouthed in astonishment.  
  
"Hey, remember what Pegaro said," Gohan says, "he played to his strengths. His speed is his biggest strength. He used that. Your dad obviously slipped on something. But if Pegaro kept baiting him like that. Besides, you've seen me move that fast and you know its not a trick, so he lost fair and square."  
  
"His own ego did him in," Piccolo remarks, "if he didn't think ki and flying and other abilities like them weren't tricks and actually tried to learn them, he would be a lot stronger."  
  
"I know I'm a better fighter for learning how to fly," Videl remarks.  
  
"And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen," the announcer says, "we have finished the first round. We'll give the fighters thirty minutes to rest and then we'll start the quarter finals. First up in the quarter finals is Yamu versus Shin. How will Shin fare against this man who beat a true veteran of the Tenkaichi Budoukai? Next is Spopovitch versus the Great Saiyaman. Will Satan City's other defender get revenge for what Spopovitch did the Videl? We shall wait and see. After that it is Goku versus Zarvon. Goku is a former champion and the years obviously haven't dulled his skill. Zarvon put up a great show and defeated his opponent Kabito with a ring out. And the final match of the quarter finals is Jesse versus Pegaro. Pegaro, as you just saw, defeated our current champion Hercule. Jesse used some amazing tactics and defeated Eighteen. And they are schoolmates! How will they fare against each other? We shall find out in half an hour!"  
  
~~  
  
Well now, how do you like that chapter? It is possibly the longest chapter I have ever written, but I plan on covering an entire round in each chapter. Next up, the Quarter Finals. Tell me what you think of this chapter in your reviews. And tell me who you want to win in the follows matches: Yamu VS Shin. Spopovitch VS Gohan. Goku VS Zarvon. Jesse VS Pegaro. 


	5. Chapter Four: Secrets Revealed

Well, another chapter out.  
  
Disclaimer: Except for Jesse and Zarvon, I own nothing in this fic.  
  
"It is time for the Quarter Finals! We have four incredible matches lined up. First it's Yamu versus Shin. Yamu pounded Krillin in their match and Majunior forfeited to Shin. Next is Spopovitch versus the Great Saiyaman. Spopovitch clobbered our dear Videl and the Great Saiyaman is the first up to exact revenge on him. Next up is Goku versus Zarvon. This is Goku's fourth tournament and so far throughout his career he has made it to the finals of every tournament he has ever been in. But he has a tough opponent in Zarvon. Their match will be very interesting. And the final match fo the Quarter Finals is Jesse versus Pegaro. If your just tuning in at home, Pegaro scored a stunning upset victory over Hercule with a ring out. I am here now with Hercule to see how he is taking this. Hercule sir, just what are your opinions on the match?" Hercule grabs the mic.  
  
"HOW COULD THAT LITTLE PUNK DEFEAT ME?!" Hercule bellows, "HE'S NOTHING MORE THAN A SRAWNY RUNT! HE GOT LUCKY I TELL YA! LUCKY!"  
  
"Well folks, there you have it," the announcer says as he pulls the microphone away from Hercule, "straight from the former champions mouth."  
  
"FORMER CHAMPION!" Hercule bellows so loud everyone in the stadium could hear him even without the microphone.  
  
"Yes, Hercule, you are the former champion since you lost your match," the announcer says, barely able to hide his joy, "you are unable to defend your title for the rest of this tournament since you are no longer in it. I'm sorry, but those are the rules. Now please go to the back and watch the rest of the tournament from there or I'll have security remove you from the tournament grounds."  
  
The announcers words send a shockwave through the crowd. This lowly announcer was telling the great Hercule Satan, the man who saved the world from Cell, to get lost? It just couldn't be. But it was. Hercule, furious at the outrage of losing, storms out of the arena swearing that he'll return and get his title back. The announcer sighs and resumes doing his job.  
  
"Well, now that that's out of the way, its time to get on with the show. Our first match in the Quarter Finals will be Yamu versus Shin. This promises to be a good match. Will Yamu and Shin please report to the ring. It is time for your match."  
  
"Hey, its time for your match," Jesse tells Shin, "knock him out, though don't do any permanent damage to him. I mean, you do need the information he has, don't you?"  
  
Shin looks at Jesse surprised, but he quickly resumes a passive face. He walks to the ring, pondering what Jesse said and what it could possibly mean.  
  
"Shin, as you know, is a first time competitor whereas Yamu did okay in the previous tournament. Now, lets see who will come out victorious and make it to the semi-finals! Ready and go!"  
  
Yamu starts off with a hard punch, but Shin blocks it and delivers a sharp kick to the abdomen which knocks all of the air out of Yamu's lungs. He delivers a sharp chop to the back of Yamu's head and knocks him out.  
  
"And Yamu is down! By the rules, I must deliver a ten count. If he's not up by then, then he's out of the match. 1.2.3.4.5.5.6.7.8.9.10. And Yamu loses!"  
  
The crowd goes wild. They didn't like what Yamu did to Krillin, the brutality that he showed. And since it was apparent Spopovitch was a buddy of his, they wanted him to win even less.  
  
"Wow, that Shin guy is tough," Krillin remarks, "he's much stronger than me."  
  
"That's not saying much," Vegeta retorts.  
  
Krillin frowns. "Yeah, but for a guy on Earth? You know I'm one of the strongest humans on Earth Vegeta."  
  
"True, and that's still not saying much," Vegeta says, "though you are right. I thought you knew all of the other weakling humans that are that strong. Though I must admit, the guy can't be human if he is stronger than you. Even I'll admit you're at the pinnacle of strength that you humans can achieve."  
  
"Thanks, I think," Krillin says, unsure what Vegeta meant.  
  
"And our next match is Spopovitch versus the Great Saiyaman!"  
  
"Be careful Gohan," Videl says, "remember what that guy did to me."  
  
"Yeah, take care bro," Krillin says, "something just isn't right about that guy."  
  
"Do your best Gohan, and make him pay for hurting Videl like that," Pegaro says.  
  
At the mention of what Spopovitch did to Videl, Gohan's face hardens. "Don't worry, he is gonna pay."  
  
"Will our fighters please report to the ring at this time? Spopovitch and the Great Saiyaman, it is time for your match."  
  
In the crowd, Sharpner and Erasa were watching the Tenkaichi Budoukai.  
  
"Man, a lot of these guys sure like to resort to tricks," Sharpner says, "what is this, a carnival or a martial arts tournament?"  
  
"Well, didn't Videl fly?" Erasa asks, "I mean, I may gullible but I'm sure I saw Videl flying."  
  
"Well, the Great Saiyaman is supposed to be able to fly," Sharpner says, "then again, he may be some kind of alien with strange powers."  
  
"But how did Videl fly?" Erasa asks, "I know she's not an alien."  
  
"Maybe Saiyaman taught her how to fly," a geeks says, "after all, before Hercule won the world tournament, the fight between Son Goku and the Demon King Piccolo had loads of strange fighting techniques. Maybe they weren't tricks, just difficult abilities to learn that Hercule didn't bother trying to learn because he had been told that they were tricks. Or maybe he said they were tricks because he couldn't explain them in any other way except that they were fake."  
  
"You've got a point," Sharpner says.  
  
"Well, its time for Saiyaman to take on Spopovitch," Erasa says, "hopefully he can get him for what he did to Videl."  
  
Spopovitch faced off against Gohan in the middle of the ring. The two eyes each other fiercely. Gohan was seething with anger, remembering every blow Spopovitch delivered to Videl.  
  
"Spopovitch, I don't know who you think you are, but you're gonna pay for hurting Videl," Gohan says, letting the anger drift into his voice as he powers up, "I know you didn't realize this, but you are now facing the strongest guy in the universe, and when you hurt my friends, it makes me mad. And when I get mad, I get stronger."  
  
Piccolo listens to Gohan's speech with great interest. The only time he had ever seen Gohan this mad was when someone he really cared about got hurt.  
  
"What she doing?" Videl asks.  
  
"He's powering up," Piccolo says, "he's focusing his ki to make himself stronger. For Gohan, his power rises even more when he's mad. The last time I saw Gohan get this mad was when I was getting pounded by Frieza."  
  
"Wjhoa, you mean that explosion of power that knocked Frieza to his knees?" Krillin yelps in surprise, "that was the maddest he's ever been. If he's that mad right now, we may have to step in to keep him from killing Spopovitch."  
  
"Gohan wouldn't kill him, would he?" Videl asks, fearful.  
  
"Videl, Gohan is one of the most gentle people to ever live," Piccolo says, "the only thing capable of getting him mad is hurting those he cares about. And when he does get mad, there is only one thought in his mind: destroy the person who hurt his friends. I trained Gohan, spent time with just him and me for nearly a year. He even looked up to me as a second father figure. Gohan considers me his best friend. We were fighting a tyrant named Frieza 10 years ago and I was getting seriously beaten up. If Gohan hadn't stepped in, I would have died. Gohan's rage at that point was incredible. I had never seen him angrier before or since. Until now."  
  
"Wow Piccolo, that's the most I've ever heard you say at one time," Goku says with a smile. Then the smile disappears. "If Gohan is that mad, then there's no telling what he'll do."  
  
"What I don't understand, if what you're saying is true, is how he got so mad," Videl says.  
  
"Well, Gohan's anger is probably compounded," Krillin says, "he and I are best friends, like brothers at times. He knows Yamu and Spopovitch are buddies and sees Yamu in Spopovitch and sees this as a chance to vent some of that anger. But there's no way he should be this mad just from that. He's seen me hurt a lot worse than what Yamu did to me."  
  
"It's not just that," Eighteen says, a faint smile on her face, "the kid likes this girl. Judging by his reaction when she was getting beaten up, I'd say he likes her a lot."  
  
Krillin snickers. "And he says you're not his girlfriend."  
  
Videl blushes. "We're just friends," she says, "that's all."  
  
"Oh, come on," Krillin says, "you can tell me. I promise I won't tell him."  
  
"The brats about to move up to the nest level," Vegeta says, his eyes never leaving the ring.  
  
"What?!" Krillin yelps, "Spopovitch is in trouble now. He didn't have a chance before, but if Gohan ascends we'll have to scrap Spopovitch off the surface of the moon! Well, we would if the moon was still around."  
  
Goku looks at the ring. Sure enough, Gohan had already gone Super Saiyan, his bandanna and sunglasses had already flown off his head.  
  
"No way!" Videl gasps, "Gohan is the Gold Fighter as well?"  
  
"Gold Fighter?" Vegeta snorts, "Gohan has ascended to the level of Super Saiyan. He's about to go to the next level."  
  
"Super Saiyan?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Yes, a Super Saiyan," Vegeta replies, "I'm not bothering explaining it to you wouldn't even know what a Saiyan is."  
  
Zarvon growls. "And just who do you think you are?"  
  
"I am the Prince of all Saiyans," Vegeta replies haughtily.  
  
Zarvon's eyes widen, then he goes down to one knee. "My prince."  
  
At hearing this, Vegeta's eyes widen. "What?"  
  
Zarvon reaches for his belt and moves it, revealing his tail. Vegeta and Goku both look at Zarvon in shock. Videl looks at Zarvon in horror, and Jesse was obviously amused by all of this.  
  
"You..you..you're a Saiyan!" Krillin yelps.  
  
"Yes, I am," Zarvon says, "a Saiyan Elite, to be exact. I am of the noble house Gladino."  
  
"The house Gladino?" Vegeta repeats, "my old servant, Nappa, was of that house."  
  
"I have a son named Nappa," Zarvon replies, "he was born last year, in the year 2746 of the Saiyan calender."  
  
"That was 60 years ago," Vegeta says calmly.  
  
"What?!" Zarvon yelps. He thinks for a moment. "I passed very closely to a black hole on my way to this planet. I must have been trapped in the even horizon, where time is warped and slowed. That is the only explanation as to what happened." He looks out at the ring, at Gohan. "So that is the legendary Super Saiyan."  
  
"Yes, but Kakarott here was the first to reach this level in three thousand years," Vegeta says, "then myself, and finally his oldest brat. Both my son and his can reach this level without even trying. Gohan can go beyond this level to another level."  
  
"Wait, what are you talking about?" Videl demands, "Saiyans, black holes, other planets? What are you talking about?"  
  
Vegeta gets an evil glint in his eye. Goku sees it. "Vegeta, you promised Gohan," he says warningly.  
  
"And whats the brat gonna do?" Vegeta retorts, "defeat me in battle?"  
  
"You know he's stronger than you," Goku says.  
  
"Gohan is in fact the strongest of all of you," Shin says.  
  
"What are you talking about Shin?" Piccolo asks.  
  
"They are not aware of it, but Gohan is the one that Yamu and Spopovitch seek," Shin says, "his energy is what they are after."  
  
"His energy?" Pegaro asks.  
  
Shin nods. "When Gohan reaches his full power, Yamu will make his move. Spopovitch will take the moment's distraction to hold Gohan in place and Yamu will then use a device to drain his energy. You must not interfere. When they finish draining his energy, than Kabito will heal him. Like your kami, Dende, he can heal a person's power without using his own strength up. When they leave, I will follow them to their hideout, which will lead me to their master."  
  
"Their master?" Krillin asks.  
  
"A wizard by the name of Babidi," Shin says, "he is planning to use the energy those two capture to power a spell to release a monster of destruction by the name of Majin Buu. Majin Buu is far more powerful than anything any of you have ever faced. He is thousands of times more powerful than Frieza. Even Cell, who is still causing trouble in Otherworld, would seem like an insect next to Majin Buu."  
  
"Like an insect?" Videl whispers, "hey, what do you mean, Otherworld?"  
  
"Otherworld is the place you go to when you die," Goku explains, "the only reason I'm here is because I've done so much good that I racked up some credit and am allowed back in the world of the living for a day."  
  
"Not to mention the fact that you helped stop Frieza and the others when you arrived," Shin says, "they were really causing problems."  
  
"Pikkon could have handled them," Goku says, "I mean, he took Cell out with one punch. Of course, Cell wasn't expecting it and was overly confident that I was his only competition."  
  
"And yet you defeated Pikkon for all intents and purposes in the Otherworld Tournament," Shin says with a small smile.  
  
"He used his Thunder Flash Attack one too many times," Goku replies, "I had seen it enough times that I found a weakness in it that I was able to exploit."  
  
"You've lost me here," Videl says, exasperated.  
  
"Trust me Videl, it only gets worse," Piccolo says.  
  
A blur moves past the Z Warriors.  
  
"There he goes," Jesse mutters, "he's in for a surprise."  
  
Yamu appears just behind Gohan. Gohan senses him, turns around, a fires a ki blast into Yamu that sends him flying into the wall. Spopovitch takes this opportunity to try and wrap his arms around Gohan. Gohan lets him do this, but he then flies backwards into the wall. Spopovitch is slammed hard into the wall, but Gohan doesn't even touch it.  
  
"And the Great Saiyaman is the winner!" the announcer declares, "even though Yamu tried to interfere, he still won with the utmost ease."  
  
"No way," Videl breathes, "there's just no way."  
  
"Well, there's goes that plan," Shin mutters.  
  
"Don't worry about it Shin," Jesse says, "they'll surely try it again with someone else. That is, if they ever wake up."  
  
Gohan powers down back to normal and hurriedly grabs his bandanna and sunglasses and runs to the back area.  
  
"Wow Gohan, that was incredible," Videl says, "how did you do that? Make your hair change color?"  
  
Upon hearing this, Gohan pales. He looks at his dad. "I didn't transform, did I?"  
  
"Afraid so, son," Goku says, "you went all the way to level two. I was almost sure you would go to the next level if there is one."  
  
"There's not another level, is there?" Gohan asks.  
  
"Maybe," Goku says, "it is possible. There may actually be no limit to how many levels of Super Saiyan there is."  
  
"Will Goku and Zarvon please come to the ring?" the announcer says into his microphone, "it is time for your match."  
  
"Well, Goku, shall we go and see who is stronger?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Kakarott is the stronger of you two if he doesn't transform," Vegeta says, "though when he isn't transformed, we shall have to find out."  
  
Zarvon and Goku walk to the ring.  
  
"You know, there is something familiar about Zarvon, other than the fact he is a classmate," Gohan says as he puts the bandanna and sunglasses back on.  
  
"That is because he is actually a Saiyan," Vegeta says. Gohan looks at Vegeta, startled.  
  
"You heard right, boy," Vegeta smirks, "apparently he was being sent to this planet to purge it many years ago but he got caught in the event horizon of a black hole."  
  
"And time passed by rapidly for us and extremely slow for him," Gohan says, "how long was he trapped there?"  
  
"As near as I can tell, close to sixty years," Vegeta says, "he was Nappa's father."  
  
"I definitely don't see the family resemblance," Gohan muses, "Zarvon has hair."  
  
"Fool!" Vegeta yells, "Nappa once had hair. He had hair when I was a boy. Those two do look a lot alike. And apparently he got a lot stronger."  
  
"Well, the gravity within the event horizon of a black hole is intense," Gohan says, "it is possible that the fluctuations of gravity were somehow exerted on him and he slowly grew stronger. How strong do you think he is?"  
  
"As powerful as your father was when he first fought Frieza," Vegeta replies as he turns his attention to the ring, "though nowhere near as strong as he was when he transformed into a Super Saiyan."  
  
"That's pretty strong," Gohan muses, "I'll bet he could give Trunks or Goten a good workout if they don't transform."  
  
"Gohan, what exactly are you talking about?" Videl demands. Gohan turns to look at Videl. He had totally forgotten that she was there.  
  
"Uh, what do you mean, Videl?" he asks, nervous. Pegaro and Krillin snicker at Gohan's predicament while Jesse chuckles.  
  
"What I mean is, what are Saiyan?" Videl says, getting angry.  
  
"Well, uh," Gohan stammers.  
  
"Quiet!" Vegeta says sharply, "they are beginning."  
  
Zarvon starts off with a punch to Goku's face. He quickly follows up with a flurry of punches and kicks that would have devastated just about anybody. Of course, since when is Goku part of a group like that when it comes to fighting?  
  
Goku easily blocks each blow and delivers a few punches to Zarvon's gut. Zarvon launches a small ki blast into Goku's face before moving farther away and powering up another ki blast. He holds his right arm out and clasps his left hand to his right wrist.  
  
"Hyah!" he yells. A powerful wave a ki energy erupts from his hand and slams into Goku who was still recovering from the ki blast to the face.  
  
Back in the waiting area, Vegeta smirks.  
  
"That's odd," he mutters, "he disappeared before Frieza conquered us and yet he knows one of Zarbon's signature moves."  
  
"Really?" Krillin asks.  
  
"Yeah, he used that on me when I first fought him on Namek," Vegeta remarks, "its quite a powerful attack. It delivers twice the normal punch of a fully powered ki blast. Kakarott, for all his strength, will be feeling that blow."  
  
Indeed, when the smoke from the explosion clears, Goku was looking a little worse for wear. His clothes were a bit tattered and had a few tears, but overall he seemed to be okay.  
  
"That was some attack," Goku tells Zarvon, "much more than I expected. You're good."  
  
"Thank you," Zarvon says as he moves into a fighting crouch, "you say your name is Kakarott?"  
  
"My Saiyan name is Kakarott," Goku says as he lands and gets into a fighting stance of his own, "but the name I go by, the name I was raised with is Goku."  
  
"I know of a little boy named Bardock when I left planet Vegeta," Zarvon says, "he showed great potential, but not much overall power."  
  
"Vegeta says my fathers name was Bardock," Goku says, "he said he was a common warrior, but he did develop an energy ball that simulated the light of a full moon."  
  
"He was supposed to be quite smart," Zarvon says, "now shall we continue?"  
  
"Indeed," Goku says just before he launches himself, spinning with his right leg out at Zarvon. Zarvon blocks the kick and counters with a punch to the gut followed by a head butt which sends him sprawling.  
  
"Should have warned him against that," Piccolo says, "Goku has the hardest head out of anybody you'll ever meet."  
  
"Tell me about it," Krillin says, "he's been like that ever since I knew him."  
  
Zarvon and Goku go into a flurry of punches, kicks, blocks, and flips.  
  
"Wow, look at them go!" Krillin says, awed, "its been so long since Goku has been able to fight just for the fun of it, without the fate of the world hanging in the balance."  
  
"What about that Otherworld tournament he mentioned?" Jesse asks.  
  
"Well, there was that," Krillin says sheepishly, "but its been so long since he's been able to do that here. Probably not since he fought you for the World Title Piccolo."  
  
"That was some match, but nothing compared to this," Piccolo says, "and from what Goku says, he only had to go Super Saiyan for that last match against Pikkon. Here, he has decided not to go Super Saiyan and he is fighting an opponent whose strength is an unknown though the style is somewhat familiar. Goku revels in fights like these."  
  
"Like I said, not since he fought you in the 23rd Tenkaichi Budoukai," Krillin replies.  
  
"They're something else," Gohan says, "I've never seen dad this happy in a fight."  
  
"Son Gohan, you still haven't answered my question!" Videl yells.  
  
"Yikes, she reminds me of Chichi," Krillin mutters, holding his ears. Piccolo and Vegeta nod their agreement even though they do not take their eyes off of the match.  
  
"Well, Videl, its like this," Gohan begins. He goes into a quick explaination about the Saiyans, how his dad arrived on Earth, Raditz arriving, followed by Vegeta and Nappa, going to Namek and fighting Frieza, Frieza coming to Earth and his defeat, Mirai Trunks warning, Cooler arriving, then the androids. He was reluctant to tell Videl the whole story, but she managed to press it out of him.  
  
"What happened to the androids?" Videl asks.  
  
"They were eventually absorbed by Cell, though Eighteen was spat back up after a powerful punch to the gut," Gohan replies.  
  
"Which you delivered?" Videl asks, amazed.  
  
"Yes," Gohan says.  
  
"So my dad didn't defeat Cell, did he?" Videl asks.  
  
"Not a chance in Hell," Vegeta snorts, "that buffoon couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag compared to us. Even you're stronger than he is."  
  
"Well, I can understand why you didn't want that publicity," Videl says, "look at what its done to my dad."  
  
"I don't think he's any different from what we saw at the Cell Games," Gohan says.  
  
"Oh, please, don't even joke about that," Videl says exasperatingly, "he is ten times worse. His ego has grown way too large. I'm glad you defeated him Pegaro, and not one of these guys. You're close enough to how strong my dad is that he won't think you beat him with a trick. And since you weren't moving too fast for the camera's to catch, though they would have to go in slow motion for people to see you, it can be proved that you didn't use a trick to beat him. I'm sure that's where dad is right now, trying to figure out how to weasel out of losing the title."  
  
"He won't really try anything, will he?" Pegaro asks.  
  
"If he does, then he's gonna regret it," Vegeta says, "he has been getting on my nerves for the last seven years since his ugly face is practically everywhere. If he tries to weasel his way into keeping his title again, then I'm gonna kill him."  
  
"No you won't, Vegeta!" Gohan says harshly, "what will Bulma say?"  
  
Upon hearing his wife's name, Vegeta begins to grumble.  
  
"Whoa, would you look at that!" Krillin exclaims. The others turn to look at the match.  
  
Goku and Zarvon were deadlocked. They were trying to force each other back, but neither one was giving the other any ground.  
  
"Incredible," Jesse whispers, "he has the Mystic Force."  
  
"The what?" Gohan asks.  
  
"The Mystic Force is an increase of power that is all but undetectable," Jesse explains, "only a psychic who can also use their ki can sense it. And there aren't many like that."  
  
"You can sense it?" Shin asks, surprised.  
  
"Can't you?" Jesse smirks, taking Shin off guard once again.  
  
Goku moves back and fires a large ki blast at Zarvon. Zarvons places both hands together, each one in a gun position like the Blast Revolver attack that he had used to defeat Kabito. An orb of energy forms.  
  
"Blast Cannon!" he yells. His ki spikes momentarily and a blast of fire and ki energy erupt from his hands. The attacks slam into each other, but Zarvon's attack pushes back Goku's ki blast and knocks him into the air.  
  
"Quite good," Goku says, breathing hard, "your very good."  
  
"Thanks," says Zarvon, who is also breathing hard, "I'm surprised I'm doing this well."  
  
"There is only one minute left in this match," the announcer says, "and this match has been so close that it will be impossible for the judges to determine a winner."  
  
"Wanna go all out in a final ki blast?" Goku asks Zarvon.  
  
"Sure, why not?" Zarvon says and begins to power up. Goku follows suit, placing his hands at his right side together.  
  
"Ka me ha," Goku says slowly.  
  
Zarvon holds up his right arm and clasps his wrist with his left hand.  
  
"Me ha!" Goku yells, launching his attack.  
  
"Bakurikimaha!" Zarvon yells and the blast erupts from his hand.  
  
The two attacks collide and begin to push at each other.  
  
"Whoa! It looks like Goku is using his signature attack, the Kamehameha Wave which was taught to him by the legendary Master Roshi," the announcer says, jumping up and down excitedly.  
  
The crowd looks on in wonder. Hercule had told him that such things as what they were now watching were just light shows and tricks, but this certainly didn't look like a light show. Well, it was a light show but it certainly didn't appear to be mere lights.  
  
"Yeah Goku, get him!" Chichi yells. She was going wild. All of the fans around her were slowly inching away from her and trying to find other seats.  
  
"Wow, Goku is really going all out against this guy," Yamcha says as he watches, "and he is tough. Very tough."  
  
"Yes, he's quite strong," Master Roshi says, "he'd have to be to give Goku as much trouble as he is."  
  
Suddenly, in the middle of his Kamehameha, Goku vanishes. He appears behind Zarvon. Zarvon tries to stop his attack so he can turn his attention to Goku himself, but it doesn't matter. Goku kicks Zarvon in the chin and sends him flying out of the ring. He crashes into the wall and falls to the ground. Turning his attention back to his ki blast, Goku launches himself in front of it and takes the blast head on.  
  
When the smoke clears to show that Goku is still standing, the announcer declares his decision.  
  
"And Goku is the winner by a ring out!" he says. The crowd cheers wildly.  
  
Goku walks over to Zarvon and helps him up. "Great match." "Same to you, Goku."  
  
The two walk back to the backstage.  
  
"That was incredible dad," Gohan says, "great match."  
  
"Thanks Gohan," Goku says, "but I expect to see you in the finals."  
  
"Same to you," Gohan says.  
  
"What makes you so sure he's gonna make it past me?" Jesse says with a grin, "that fight took at lot out of him and you don't want him to transform since people will recognize him from the Cell Games."  
  
"He knows?" Goku asks.  
  
"And so does Videl," Gohan says with a sigh.  
  
"Wow, you've probably revealed all of your secrets to your friends today Gohan," Krillin snickers, "and just think: earlier you were threatening us with severe bodily harm if we let anything slip. And in the end, you tell her everything yourself!" Krillin falls to the ground laughing.  
  
"Well, time for our match Jesse," Pegaro says, "please go easy on me."  
  
"Heh, you'll do fine," Jesse says, "even though you won't win. Besides, even if he is worn out do you honestly think you can beat Goku?"  
  
"Think I can go ahead and forfeit the match?" Pegaro says apprehensively.  
  
"I'll fight at your level, Pegaro," Jesse says, "I promise. The good thing about being both a fighter and a psychic is that you can seal away however much of your power that you want and you can't unlock it after a certain amount of time that you preset. I can set it for thirty-five minutes."  
  
"Um, okay," Pegaro says and the two walk to the ring.  
  
"Was he telling the truth?" Videl asks Gohan.  
  
"I don't know," Gohan says as he watches the two head for the ring, "we've never really fought against a true psychic before. The closest we ever came to that was probably Piccolo."  
  
"Even I don't have that kind of psychic power," Piccolo says.  
  
"He was telling the truth," Shin says, "though I did not know humans with such powerful psychic gifts still lived. I thought the last of the died years ago."  
  
"Just who are you?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Go ahead and tell them, Piccolo," Shin says with a smile, "I must go and see to Kabito. I think he has almost figured out where Babidi's ship is." He walks off.  
  
"Who is he Piccolo?" Gohan asks.  
  
"He is the Supreme Kai," Piccolo says.  
  
"Whoa, I've heard stories about him from King Kai, but I thought they were just stories!" Goku exclaims.  
  
"Um, mind telling me what is going on?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Okay, most planets like Earth have a Guardian, or kami," Piccolo begins, "I am a Namek, and the previous kami is a part of me. When I came to Earth, the evils that I saw as a child affected me. When I vied for the Throne of Kami, the Guardian before that said that there was too much evil within me. So I split myself into two entities: the noble Kami, and Piccolo Daimou. Piccolo Daimou, my sire, was sealed away but was released years ago and made young again with the Dragon Balls, powerful artifacts of my home planet that Kami created. They have the power to grant any one wish that was within Kami's power. But they cannot bring someone back to life more than once. Goku is a testament to that."  
  
"It's true," Goku says, "I died when my brother appeared and was wished back to fight Vegeta and Nappa. I died again fighting Cell. Please continue Piccolo."  
  
"Well, when my sire, Piccolo Daimou was released and made young again, he tried to take over the world. But a young boy stopped him and killed him. That boy was Goku. But, since Nameks come from eggs, he poured all of his essence into a single egged and spat it out. And then he died. Eventually, I grew up and faced Goku in the 23rd Tenkaichi Budoukai in the final round. I lost, though I tried every trick I knew. Ki blasts, getting larger, everything. But Goku still won. He is the greatest champion to date."  
  
"Piccolo, I told her about you and Kami, remember?" Gohan says, "and Dende as well. Nail too."  
  
"Very well," Piccolo sighs, "anyway, like there are Guardians for each planet, each quadrant of space has a Kai that watches over it. We are in the North Quadrant, and are watched over by the North Kai, more commonly called King Kai. Then, there is the Grand Kai, who reigns above them and watches over matter too important for the four lesser Kai's. Goku has been living with him since he died fighting Cell."  
  
"And the Supreme Kai rules above him?" Videl asks.  
  
"I do not know," Piccolo says, "I've only suspected that there was a Kai above the Grand Kai."  
  
~In Otherworld~  
  
"It can't be!" King Kai exclaims. He had been watching everything from a spot on the Grand Kai's planet. "That kid is the Supreme Kai? Even I've never met him!"  
  
~Back on Earth, at the Tenkaichi Budoukai~  
  
"Look at them go!" the announcer says. Jesse and Pegaro were fighting for all they were worth. Since Pegaro couldn't use ki blasts or fly, Jesse didn't use this to his advantage. Whatever ability Pegaro showed, Jesse showed. The speed they were fighting at was only slightly more than what Goku and Piccolo fought at in their championship match.  
  
"Pegaro is quite strong," Krillin says as he watches the fight, "someone really should train him. It would be horrible for such potential to go to waste. But he's already beyond what Master Roshi could teach him."  
  
"You could teach him Krillin," Gohan says, "you've always wanted an apprentice."  
  
"True, but I'd have to move off of Roshi's island first," Krillin says, "its just too small. He didn't even train me and Goku there."  
  
"Watch the match," Vegeta snorts, "its fairly entertaining, for a couple of inferior fighters."  
  
Jesse and Pegaro lock up in another bout of strength. Jesse pushes back and sweeps Pegaro off his feet. Grasping his hands firmly, Jesse begins to spin around. He spins faster and faster until he finally lets go. Pegaro goes flying. He hits just inside the ring, but he skids and keeps going until he skids out of the ring and lands on the around outside of the ring.  
  
"And Pegaro has landed outside of the ring," the announcer says, "Jesse is the winner!"  
  
Jesse walks over to Pegaro and helps him back to his feet. Both of them are sweating and breathing hard. "Great match," Jesse says, "I haven't had a workout like that in a long time."  
  
"What a show of sportsmanship," the announcer says, "truly, these are true martial artists."  
  
"Incredible match guys," Videl says. Jesse grins, then falls to the ground.  
  
"What happened?" Videl asks.  
  
"Apparently he overstressed himself a bit," Pegaro says.  
  
"Well, at least he'll have some time to rest before he has to fight again," Goku says.  
  
"You're his opponent dad," Gohan says.  
  
"And you and Shin fight next," Goku says, "think you can use the time limit to its fullest so he'll have a chance to rest?"  
  
"Why not just take him to Dende?" Gohan asks, "you're pretty beat up from your match with Zarvon. He can heal you both."  
  
"No need," Shin says, "Kabito, like this planets Guardian, can heal a person completely without taking any energy from himself."  
  
"Well, Jesse's unconscious so he can't say which he would prefer," Pegaro says.  
  
"Or if he would want either," Videl remarks.  
  
"Refusing help does sound like something he would do," Gohan says, "but he's gonna get help whether he likes it or not."  
  
"We could give him a senzu bean, but that would be a waste with Goku here since he can use his Instant Transmission," Krillin says.  
  
"Well, I don't doubt Shin," Goku says, "Kabito, heal him."  
  
Kabito nods and places a hand over Jesse's chest. A golden light, similar to that of a Super Saiyan aura, appears and flows out of Kabito's hand and washes over Jesse.  
  
"We'll take a short break so our fighters can rest and you fans can go to the snack bars and get yourselves something to eat," the announcer says from outside.  
  
"How long will this take?" Gohan asks as Kabito heals Jesse.  
  
"It depends on how much energy he has used and how exhausted his body is," Kabito replies, "he hardly used any energy when compared to what I can heal or what he should be able to use, but he pushed his body well beyond the limits it had with him sealing away the energy he could have used to keep his body refreshed."  
  
"He is a remarkable warrior," Shin says, "I didn't even know of his existence. Nor do I think North Kai or the Grand Kai knew of his existence either."  
  
"I thought King Kai oversaw everything within the North Quadrant?" Goku asks.  
  
"He does, but he has only been watching over this quadrant for a few thousand years," Shin says, "maybe no more than five thousand."  
  
"But wouldn't he still know of Jesse?" Gohan asks.  
  
"He didn't know I was a Saiyan until I told him," Goku says, "so its possible that he slipped through unnoticed like me being a Saiyan did."  
  
"Also, King Kai has only started paying attention to Earth and our region of space since Goku arrived and trained under him," Piccolo says, "he's been very lazy."  
  
"But Jesse isn't that old," Gohan says, "he's no older than I am at least, so King Kai would have noticed his training."  
  
"He was probably more focused on Goku and the rest of us than any unknowns," Piccolo says, "I must admit, though, that for some reason the strange events that I have sensed in the air seem to revolve around this boy."  
  
"What are you saying Piccolo?" Krillin asks, "that the kids an alien?"  
  
"Doubtful, but possible," was Piccolo's only answer.  
  
The light fades from Jesse and he opens his eyes.  
  
"How long was I out?" he asks groggily.  
  
"No more than a few minutes," Videl says, helping him to his feet.  
  
"Minutes?!" Jesse exclaims, "I wasn't able to reopen my energy reserves to refresh me! How was I brought back to consciousness so soon?"  
  
"Kabito healed you," Shin says.  
  
"Oh, thank you Kabito," Jesse says, bowing to Kabito. He turns to face Shin. "And my thanks to you, Supreme Kai, for having him heal me."  
  
  
  
Well, how was that? I'm not that good at writing battles, but I would say this chapter had some of my better work. Tell me what you think in a review please. 


	6. Chapter Five: The SemiFinals

Shin stares at Jesse in shock, along with the others.  
  
"H-how did you know he was the Supreme Kai?" Piccolo demands, started.  
  
"I recognized him," Jesse replies, "I met him during the Demon Wars."  
  
"But the Demon Wars were six thousand years ago, before Majin Buu was even created!" Shin exclaims, stunned by what Jesse said, "how could you have fought in them?"  
  
"What are the Demon Wars?" Videl asks.  
  
"The Demon Wars took place around six thousand years ago," Jesse says, looking at Shin intently, "the battle was between the ogres of Otherworld, who guard it and keep people in the HFIL, Home For Infinite Losers, and the denizens of the Demon World. The Demon World is another reality, sorta like Otherworld. Just as Otherworld is above our world, the Demon World is beneath our world. The Demon War was when the Demons, led by their king, Demos, tried to conquer our dimension and make it their own. The Kai's themselves led the battle against the Demons. But even the Supreme Kai was powerless against some of their more powerful warriors."  
  
"Yes, and then some strange warriors arrived," Shin adds, "they fought valiantly and drove off many of the Demons and were even able to destroy Demos. But his son, Dabura, took over. Dabura was even stronger than Demos. Finally, the last of those warriors and Dabura fought in single combat. Dabura was driven back, but that warrior paid with his life to block off the Demon World."  
  
"I didn't pay with my life," Jesse says, "I tried a spell that would trap Dabura in Limbo forever. Unfortunately, he was able to reverse the spell and that's where I've been the last six thousand years. Since it was reversed by its intended target, and since it was reversed by a Demon, it was weakened and had a time release. That time release ran out a week before I started school at Orange Star High."  
  
"You mean to say you're over six thousand years old?" Videl asks in surprise.  
  
"Kinda," Jesse answers, "physically, I'm almost nineteen. Chronologically, I am a little over six thousand."  
  
"You were trapped in Limbo for six thousand years?" Shin asks.  
  
"Yes, Supreme Kai, I was," Jesse answers, "and before you say anything else, I have to warn you about something"  
  
"What?" Shin asks, perplexed.  
  
"Babidi has drawn some of the strongest fighters in the universe to him to guard him," Jesse says, "though none of them can beat Goku, Gohan, or Vegeta and they wouldn't even have to go Super Saiyan to do it. Piccolo could defeat them as well. Eighteen probably could too."  
  
"And you?" Krillin asks.  
  
"Way too easy," Jesse says, "Babidi's magic makes them evil, and my powers are centered around fighting evil. I was able to do well against Eighteen because she is motivated by greed to win this tournament. I'll probably get mutilated by Goku. His heart is the purest I have ever seen."  
  
"Is that all you have to warn me about?" Shin asks.  
  
"No, Supreme Kai, I know you already knew that Babidi had drawn many fighters to him," Jesse replies, "Yamu and Spopovitch are among them. That's how they changed so much since the last tournament. No, its Babidi's head warrior. Its Dabura."  
  
"Dabura!" Shin and Kabito gasp in horror.  
  
"Yes, the King of Demons has sided with Babidi," Jesse says, "and even from Limbo I could feel Majin Buu's power. It surpasses Dabura's and he knows it. He is possibly planning on using the Demon Fusion technique to merge with Majin Buu the moment Babidi releases him, making him much more powerful."  
  
"Dabura alone is enough to worry about," Shin says, his voice barely audible, "but Dabura with Majin Buu's power as well as his own is unfathomable!"  
  
"Well, Shin, I do have some good news," Jesse says, "Goku, Gohan, and Vegeta all possibly surpass you in physical power when they are at their max. Gohan is still the strongest of the three, but only just barely."  
  
"Dad, you've achieved level two?" Gohan asks, surprised.  
  
"Yeah Gohan, I have," Goku smirks.  
  
"Whats more is that at his maximum, Gohan equals Dabura, "Jesse says, "but I'll wager that he hasn't done much training since he defeated Cell and his fighting instinct has dwindled."  
  
"How do you know I defeated Cell?" Gohan asks.  
  
"Earth is my home planet," Jesse replies, "when you're in Limbo, you're in a position very similar to that of a planets Guardian but only for your home planet. If your home planet is literally no more, then you are able to roam all of the fabrics of reality. I could only feel the powers levels though, but I still recognize you ki signature from when you fought Cell."  
  
"You're good," Gohan says.  
  
"However, Zarvon being a Saiyan was something I didn't see," Jesse says, "especially since he arrived on Earth a bit before I got out of Limbo. And at that time, I was more focused on stopping Babidi and Dabura. I know where their ship is. And Majin Buu has almost been put back to full power. I checked on that before I got out of Limbo."  
  
"This is not good," Shin says, "why did I not foresee this?"  
  
Jesse smirks. "Because, even though you are the Supreme Kai, you are not a true prophet of any sort. By the way, pretty soon you will have to face Gohan. I'd take care not to underestimate him if I were you or you'll be in for a nasty surprise."  
  
"Is he stronger than the Supreme Kai?" Kabito asks.  
  
"Maybe, but I won't be sure until I see them both at full power," Jesse replies, "its been so long that I've forgotten exactly how strong the Supreme Kai is. Now, how about we rest until time for the next round?"  
  
"Your attention please!" the announcer says, "it is time for the Semi- finals! First we have Shin versus the Great Saiyaman and then we have Goku versus Jesse. Jesse is technically the World Champion since he defeated Pegaro, who in turn defeated Hercule. Now, will Shin and the Great Saiyaman please come to the ring? It is time for your match."  
  
"Gohan, don't go easy on me," Shin says, "if you can defeat me without transforming, then Earth may indeed have a chance if for some reason Majin Buu is released."  
  
"Sure thing Shin," Gohan says as he fastens the bandanna on, "lets go." He puts on the sunglasses and follows Shin out to the ring.  
  
"Shin, as you know, is a rookie to the tournament, as is all of our semi- finalists except for Goku," the announcer says as they walk to the ring, "Majunior forfeited their match in the first round and he defeated Yamu in the Quarter Finals. The Great Saiyaman defeated Mighty Mask a la ring out in the first round and he defeated that villain Spopovitch in the Quarter Finals. Now they face each other in the Semi Finals."  
  
Shin and Gohan square off in the middle of the ring. The gong sounds and they dash at each other, their fists colliding in the center of the ring.  
  
They enter into a flurry of punches, kicks, and blocks, neither fight giving in to the other or letting up. Where one of them would punch, that punch either missed its mark, was met by another fist, or met a forearm.  
  
Finally the two take to the air, neither one letting up. Gohan unleashes a small ki blast at Shin, who knocks it away and fires a ki blast of his own. Gohan takes the blast full in the chest, but springs back and punches Shin down to the ring floor.  
  
'How can that be?' Shin thinks to himself, 'he shrugged off one of my stronger attacks like it was nothing. Maybe he is stronger than I am.'  
  
Gohan flies down at Shin and fires a Masenko at him. Shin back flips out of the attacks way but it blown into the air by the small explosion. Gohan moves quickly and punches Shin in the gut, followed by grabbing Shin's ankles and spinning around.  
  
Up in the stands, Erasa and Sharpner watch the match in awe.  
  
"How can Saiyaman beat Spopovitch when Videl could barely handle him?" Sharpner demands, "there's no way he can be stronger than Videl? And how can he fly?"  
  
"I don't know, but this is cool!" Erasa says, "Saiyaman is a much better fight than I thought."  
  
"He is at that," Sharpner says, "but he's still not gonna win."  
  
But it did indeed look like Gohan was gonna win. He seemed to be everywhere at once. Shin would head one way, but Gohan was there to meet him, punches flying.  
  
Shin aims his hands at Gohan, fists opened with the palms out.  
  
"Hyah!" he cries out, and a wave of pure invisible force collides with Gohan and sends him flying out of control.  
  
"Now that was a good attack," Jesse muses, "pure unblockable force. Practically impossible to block since its not really a ki attack. Its not really much of anything except force."  
  
"How hard is it to come up with an attack like that?" Videl asks.  
  
"I wouldn't really know," Jesse says, "I can create a focused gust of wind, but that's not exactly pure force. Ask Shin when the match is over."  
  
"Has Gohan lost?" Pegaro asks.  
  
"Doubtful," Jesse says, "he's very strong, even without going Super Saiyan. It'll take more than an attack of pure force to stop him. Plus, such an attack is a diversionary tactic. Ah, there it is."  
  
Videl and Pegaro turn their attention back to the match in time to see Shin perform a double axe handle into Gohan's back, sending him careening towards the ground. But Gohan stops himself just in time and fires a quick Kamehameha at Shin. The blast hits him dead on and knocks him back.  
  
Gohan uses his speed to cover the distance between him and Shin and kicks him in the chin with a flying kick. Kabito looks on in shock. How could people of the mortal world possess such strength? Even the Saiyans shouldn't be this strong. And yet this half-Saiyan, half-human was going toe-to-toe with the Supreme Kai. It was inconceivable!  
  
Shin counters Gohan's kick by focusing his vast psychic power into a translucent sphere. The sphere connects with Gohan, but it keeps growing. When it reaches to the point where it is as tall as Gohan, is explodes, sending Gohan flying.  
  
"Incredible," Jesse breathes, "Shin's psychic powers are well above what I expected. I've spent the last six thousand years focusing what little psychic power I have into a formidable ability, and my power pales in comparison to his. Not unexpected though. He is the Supreme Kai, after all."  
  
"Are you watching this match closely, Jesse?" Goku asks, "you might be fighting one of them in the Finals."  
  
"Are you kidding?!" Jesse exclaims, "unless you forfeit or I get very lucky, you'll clobber me with ease. I was strong against Eighteen because she was motivated by greed and that is an evil emotion. Thus my abilities were more effective on her than they normally would be. Sheer experience brought me through my match with Pegaro. You're the most pure hearted person I have ever seen, so my attacks will only have their normal strength against you. I seriously doubt you'd forfeit. You're Saiyan pride would keep you from doing that."  
  
"I forfeited against Cell," Goku says simply.  
  
"You knew you couldn't win, but you knew someone who could," Jesse counters, "it was a simple matter of survival. Gohan did admirably and actually was stronger than you without ascending, but he didn't want to fight. If you hadn't given Cell that senzu bean, Gohan actually could have won without ascending, though things would have turned out very differently. His fighting experience wouldn't have gotten him far since he was, and is, fairly inexperienced. But, if he had in turn forfeited, then Vegeta or Trunks could have defeated Cell. Probably Trunks since Cell had no clue to his fighting style."  
  
"Man, you really do know all that has happened," Krillin remarks.  
  
"Well, I had to keep track of the important events of the times," Jesse replies, "I knew all of you would still be alive when I got out of Limbo and I had to keep track of possible allies. Can't believe that I considered Master Roshi for 50 years, especially after he drank from the Fountain of Youth and mastered the Kamehameha Wave."  
  
Krillin nearly chokes. "You considered master Roshi as an ally?!"  
  
Jesse grins grimly. "Well, for the longest time he was the strongest person on Earth. He was about the only person who had a righteous heart, kinda, who could manipulate ki."  
  
"What about Jackie Chun?" Goku asks, "he was able to blow up the moon."  
  
Jesse stares at Goku. "Man, you are dense. Jackie Chun was Master Roshi in disguise."  
  
"What?!" Krillin and Goku yell.  
  
"You'll have to ask him his reasons," Jesse says, "because I could simply tell what was going on vaguely. I couldn't read thoughts. But their ki signatures were the same, so it is quite likely they were the same person."  
  
"Why would Master Roshi disguise himself just to fight in the tournament?" Goku asks Krillin.  
  
"I'd rather not try to think like Master Roshi," Krillin says with a hurt expression on his face, "would you?"  
  
Videl looks at Goku and Krillin curiously, then turns to Piccolo. "Why wouldn't they want to think like the man who taught them? He's one of the greatest martial artists of all time!"  
  
"He's a pervert of the worst kind," Krillin says, "trust me, I know. I've lived with him for the past ten years and off and on before that since he trained me."  
  
"It's sad to think he was once considered the strongest person on this planet," Vegeta snorts.  
  
"He's still one of the strongest," Krillin says, "he's not as strong as the rest of us, but he is still quite strong. Especially considering his age."  
  
"He is quite old," Jesse agrees, "around three centuries, I believe."  
  
"You know, he'd be mad if he knew we were talking about his age like this," Krillin chuckles.  
  
"He's a dirty old man," Eighteen says, "he's always trying to catch a glimpse of me in the shower."  
  
"WHAT?!" Krillin yells, "I'll kill him if I didn't think he could find a way to take advantage of that."  
  
"Well, because of all he has done he would get into Heaven like I did," Goku says, "I asked the Grand Kai himself. He said Master Roshi would get to train on his planet like I did, and like probably everyone here probably will. I'll bet the same could be said for you Jesse."  
  
"Actually, I'm doomed to being a guard in the HFIL," Jesse replies, "I could eventually work my way into Heaven and maybe even the Grand Kai's planet, but it'd take me thousands of years."  
  
"I'm sure if you help us here, Shin will put in a good word for you," Krillin says. Kabito looks appalled at the suggestion.  
  
"He wouldn't do that," Jesse replies, "he can't interfere. He might be able to lessen the number of years I'd have to work as a guard, but not get me to the planet itself. Am I right Kabito?" Kabito nods his head in the affirmative.  
  
"How do you know all this Jesse?" Goku asks, "not many know what fate Otherworld has in store for them."  
  
"I'm good at evaluating my life," Jesse replies, "I know I haven't done enough good or lived a good enough life to get me the good afterlife, but I might get in on a secondary judgment."  
  
"What kind of techniques did you learn from those trapped in Limbo?" Kabito asks, "its very important if Dabura is allied with Babidi."  
  
"I learned techniques from a few people who knew some of the Kaioh-Ken techniques," Jesse says, "even though Goku is the only master of them. By studying your fighting style, Goku, I was able to partially learn some of the techniques you learned from North Kai. Though I can only do them imperfectly at best and I nearly killed myself trying to learn the Kaioh- Ken attack. I tried to perform it. Apparently my body can only barely handle the basic attack, and afterwards it is in the condition that your was after going times four."  
  
"That's pretty bad," Goku says.  
  
"Looks like Gohan is back on the offensive," Vegeta says.  
  
Indeed, Gohan was back on the offensive. One of Shin's attack had cracked the sunglasses so Gohan had removed them and thrown them away. The two fighters were in a ki blast struggle. Gohan was using his Masenko against a powerful ki blast of Shin's. Shin's purplish energy was struggling against Gohan's golden-yellow energy.  
  
"Wow, these fighters are incredible!" the announcer declares, "I haven't seen a match like this, well, not since the Junior Division Finals! But before that, I hadn't seen a match like this since Goku fought Majunior in the Finals of a previous Tenkaichi Budoukai."  
  
The crowd watched in awe as the two fighters continued to pour energy into their blasts.  
  
"They can't keep this up forever," Jesse muses, "Shin is giving it his all in that attack and so is Gohan. They're equal."  
  
"Gohan isn't using his strongest attack," Krillin says, "the Kamehameha is stronger than his Masenko."  
  
"Still, I doubt he could get much of a better assault than this," Jesse says.  
  
"Maybe, maybe not," Piccolo says, "but the fact is Gohan is going toe-to- toe with the man in charge of overlooking and protecting the entire universe and he's not even using his maximum power."  
  
"If he went Super Saiyan, he'd top Shin easily," Pegaro says, "but he doesn't want people thinking he's a freak."  
  
Out in the crowd, Chichi is going absolutely wild.  
  
"Yeah son, get him!" she yells, "you beat that purple-skinned freak and win me that prize money!" Everyone in the crowd around her were slowly inching away from her. Even Roshi, Yamcha, Bulma, and Marron were moving away. Ox- king was trying to get her back under control.  
  
"Now Chichi, calm down," he pleads, "don't worry. He'll win. He made it to the Semi-finals, so he'll get third place at least. And they pay for third place as well as fourth if for some reason he gets fourth."  
  
"My son and husband will both take home first and second place dad," Chichi says defiantly, "they're gonna win!"  
  
"I don't know," Master Roshi says, "this guy your son is fighting is quite strong. They are dead even right now and Gohan said he wouldn't go Super Saiyan because he didn't want people to know his secret."  
  
"Even so, he's gonna win," Chichi yells at Roshi, "make no mistake about it, he's gonna win!"  
  
Gohan was struggling to maintain his Masenko. He hadn't really trained since his dad had died and now it was hurting him in this match. True, he had trained a bit with Goten before the tournament, but Goten wasn't quite up to his level. In fact, Goten had to become a Super Saiyan to be a challenge. And then Gohan would get overwhelmed so he would transform and then they were back to where they were before: Gohan being outrageously stronger and Goten getting pummeled. And Goten couldn't really work high- level ki blasts just yet. He could barely do the Kamehameha and even then it was imperfect.  
  
And the Supreme Kai was no slouch. He was matching Gohan power for power and he still might not be using his full strength. Finally, it looks like Shin's blast was overtaking Gohan's Masenko. It was pushing Gohan back so much he was now in danger of a ring out.  
  
Imagining what his mother would say if he lost to someone other than another Z Warrior, Gohan struggles to put more power into his blast. But it doesn't work. He pushes Shin's blast back a little, but is then pushed back even faster.  
  
Finally, Gohan decides that he may as well turn up the heat. He had already revealed that Saiyaman and the Gold Fighter were one and the same, so why not transform? Only three people at school knew he was the Great Saiyaman and they knew about him being a Saiyan. In fact, one of them was a Saiyan! He transforms into the basic Super Saiyan form. The burst of new power shoves his Masenko all the way into Shin and knocks him back. But the process of transforming blows his bandanna off once again.  
  
Shin looks at Gohan in amazement. They were dead even when Gohan was at his normal strength and now that he had transformed, Gohan was a lot stronger. Shaking his head and knowing the futility of fighting further, Shin floats down back to the ring.  
  
"I don't stand a chance now," he says after he catches his breath, "I forfeit the match."  
  
The announcer was shocked, but he quickly regains his composure. "Wow, what an incredible turn of developments! Shin and the Great Saiyaman go through a grueling match but now Shin has forfeited! The Great Saiyaman goes to the Finals!"  
  
"Yeah, that's my boy!" Chichi yells while she has Yamcha in a headlock.  
  
"Uh, Chichi," Yamcha manages to say, "ya mind letting go? I can't breathe."  
  
"The Supreme Kai gave up?" Jesse says, stunned, "now I think I've seen everything."  
  
"Whats more is that they were equal before Gohan transformed," Goku says, "and Gohan still didn't go all out. He still could have ascended to the next level. This means that Vegeta and myself are about as strong as the Supreme Kai without transforming into Super Saiyans." Piccolo was shell- shocked.  
  
Gohan flies to the arena floor and lands beside Shin. He powers down. "Why'd ya give up?"  
  
Shin smiles, "We were completely equal before you transformed. Once you transformed into a Super Saiyan, your power far surpassed mine. I stood no chance. Why fight in a competition like this when there is no chance of winning?"  
  
"It was still possible for you to win," Gohan says, "you could have gotten a ring out."  
  
Out in the stands, Sharpner was looking through the binoculars at the Great Saiyaman.  
  
"He looks familiar," he mutters, "for some reason he looks familiar."  
  
Then Gohan turns his head to look at the announcer, making his face completely in Sharpner's view.  
  
"I don't believe it!" Sharpner yells, "it just can't be!"  
  
"What is it Sharpner?" Erasa asks.  
  
"Take a look at Saiyaman's face," Sharpner says, handing the binoculars to Erasa.  
  
"It's Gohan!" Erasa squeals when she looks through the binoculars.  
  
"Gohan?" the nerd with them asks, "it can't be. He's the most unlikely person to fight in this tournament."  
  
"He did say that he knew some martial arts," Erasa says, "and his dad is a former World Champion."  
  
"Yeah, but how can he fly?" Sharpner asks, "and how can he perform that light show?"  
  
"I dunno," Erasa says, "think we should let him know we know who he is?"  
  
"Let's wait till the Finals," the nerd says, "otherwise he may decide to leave."  
  
"No, lets let him know now," Sharpner says, "that way we'll know for sure if its him or just someone who happens to look like him."  
  
"Okay," Erasa and the nerd say in unison. All three of them take deeps breaths.  
  
"GO GOHAN!" Erasa yells.  
  
"GO AND WIN THE TOURNAMENT GOHAN!" the nerd yells.  
  
"YAY GOHAN!" Sharpner yells, then thinks to himself, 'I can't believe I just said that.'  
  
Gohan hears their yells. He turns to face the direction of the yells and blanches when he sees who is yelling. He realizes that his face is not covered at all and anyone could see who he was. Or at least his face. He sighs and slumps his shoulders. He waves politely in the direction of Sharpner and the others, then bolts to the back.  
  
Sharpner slumps in his seat. "It IS him. How can that be? He's a nerd and a wimp."  
  
"Well, Sharpner," Erasa says, "he's obviously not a wimp. He's going to the finals of the Tenkaichi Budoukai. Jesse could be going to the Finals. Too bad Zarvon lost."  
  
"Wait, isn't Jesse's opponent named Goku?" the nerd asks.  
  
"Hey, do you think that could be Gohan's dad?" Erasa says, getting excited.  
  
"It is possible," the nerd says, "I have seen pictures of the legendary Son Goku and that guy looks a lot like him. So its probably him. And remember, Gohan did say that his dad was competing."  
  
"So that's Gohan's dad?" Sharpner mutters, "hey, maybe they'll face each other in the Finals."  
  
"It is possible," the nerd says, "it'll quite likely be the first father/son match in the history of the Tenkaichi Budoukai. People were thinking history would be made today with the first father/daughter match which would be between Videl and Hercule, but they both lost in the first round."  
  
"I can't believe Pegaro defeated Hercule," Sharpner says, "that guy is scrawny.  
  
"He went toe to toe with Videl the first day of class, remember?" Erasa says.  
  
"But he lost to Jesse," Sharpner says, "but I think it's gonna be Goku versus Gohan in the final match."  
  
"Well, lets watch and see," Erasa says, "now give me the binoculars."  
  
"Hey Gohan, whats wrong?" Videl asks when Gohan reaches the back area.  
  
"Erasa and Sharpner know I'm Saiyaman now," Gohan says.  
  
"Wow," Pegaro says, "you gonna drop out of school to avoid them?"  
  
Gohan shakes his head. "No, I think I could live with it as long as I can get people to leave my family alone. That's the only reason I ever disguised my identity. To keep the news crews away from us. We would hate the spotlight."  
  
"Well, if they hound you for winning the tournament, you know who to thank for putting the winner of the Tenkaichi Budoukai in the spotlight," Krillin says with a look at Videl.  
  
"Hey, just because my dad lets his ego run away with him is no reason to give me a look like that!" Videl yells in Krillin's face.  
  
"Yikes!" Krillin says, backing up and putting his hands in front of him in a symbol of peace, "man, I'd rather be yelled at by Chichi."  
  
This makes Gohan chuckle. Goku smiles. "You knows, she does kinda remind me of Chichi when she was that age," Goku says, "only she's stronger and knows how to use her ki. Still, if they ever fought it would be a close match."  
  
"They're evenly matched in a verbal spar," Gohan says, "though I'm glad I've rarely had Videl mad at me."  
  
"I can think of a few times I've been very mad at you," Videl says.  
  
"I can definitely think of one," Gohan mutters, "when I told you you might wanna consider cutting your hair so it wouldn't get in the way of a match." He shuts his mouth immediately when he says that. He glances at Videl. She is fuming. He takes this opportunity to run.  
  
"SON GOHAN, YOU COME BACK HERE!" Videl yells and takes off after him.  
  
"I don't care what Gohan says," Krillin snickers as he watches Videl give chase, "I still think he likes her and probably wants her as a girlfriend."  
  
"I'd say she feels the same way," Eighteen muses.  
  
"The only problem with that is that Gohan is too naïve to notice if she ever started flirting with him," Zarvon chuckles.  
  
"And Videl is too much of a tomboy to flirt," Jesse laughs, "if she ever tells him she likes him, it'll be when its past the 'like' stage and into the 'love' stage. Chances are he'll feel the same by then."  
  
"That'll be a sight," Pegaro chuckles, "hey, maybe we should try and get those two together when this is all over."  
  
"Count me out if you try," Jesse says, "I have no intention of playing matchmaker for anyone. Especially someone who could turn me inside out with one hand tied behind their back. And I'm not talking about Gohan."  
  
"Where did Gohan go?" Shin asks as he walks up.  
  
"He got Videl mad at him and right now he's running from her," Krillin snickers, "I just hope he either manages to lose her or calm her down before the Finals."  
  
"What did he say to make her mad?" Shin asks.  
  
"They were talking about various things, then Gohan reminisced about when he told her she might wanna consider cutting her hair so it wouldn't get in the way of a match," Pegaro says, "she used to have to shoulder long pigtails. One on the left and one on the right."  
  
Shin thinks about what Pegaro says for a moment. "I hope she either doesn't catch him or, if she does, she lets him live," he finally says. Jesse, Pegaro, Zarvon, and Goku burst out laughing. Krillin snickers.  
  
"It is now time for the second Semi-final match," the announcer declares, "Goku versus Jesse! Will our fighters please come to the ring."  
  
"Well, sir, its out time to have a match," Jesse says to Goku.  
  
"You're six thousand years my senior," Goku replies, "I'm supposed to call you sir."  
  
"I'd rather you not," Jesse says bluntly, "I don't like feeling old. And being called sir would definitely make me feel old."  
  
"Will our fighters please come to the ring please," the announcer repeats, "it is time for your match."  
  
Goku walks out to the ring followed by Jesse.  
  
"I'm glad you didn't take a nap like the first tournament you competed in Goku," the announcer says with a chuckle.  
  
"No, we were just talking," Goku replies sheepishly. Jesse and Goku square off in the middle of the ring.  
  
"Shall we go all out or give the fans a good show that they can actually see?" Jesse asks.  
  
"Lets give them a show," Goku replies, "besides, I want to have fun. I only get one day back and most of the other fighters in Otherworld are way too serious. That or they are very strange."  
  
The gong sounds, signaling the start of the match.  
  
Goku launches himself at Jesse. "Ja ken rock!" he yells, punching at Jesse. Jesse is taken off guard by this attack and is knocked back some distance. He slowly picks himself up and wipes away a bit of blood from a split lip.  
  
"Nice move," Jesse replies, "the Ja Ken technique? I'm afraid I'm only slightly familiar with it."  
  
"It was developed by my grandfather, the man who raised me," Goku replies, crouching into his fighting stance.  
  
"My complements to him for developing such an interesting technique," Jesse says, "though it'll take more than that to defeat me."  
  
"We shall see," Goku says, then launches himself at Jesse again. He chops at Jesse's head. "Ja Ken paper!" He follows it with a double-fingered jab to the chest. "Ja Ken scissors!"  
  
Jesse blocks the chop and the jab. "Paper rock scissors?" he chuckles smugly, "when I was a boy, that was nothing more than a simple game. It won't work on me now."  
  
"We'll see," Goku says, "Ja Ken rock!" But instead of a punch, he chops and catches Jesse unawares. He had obviously been expecting a punch of some kind.  
  
Jesse hits the ground hard, but he quickly flips to his feet and performs a few backflips away from Goku. He rubs his shoulder where the chop had hit.  
  
"Saying rock but attacking with paper?" Jesse chuckles, "very interesting. I'll have to be completely on guard from now on. It seems I can no longer trust you as far as this match goes." He launches himself at Goku, sending out a flurry of punches and a kick to the midsection. Goku blocks the punches but the air is taken out of his lungs by the kick.  
  
Seizing the opportunity, Jesse backflips, his feet connecting with Goku's jaw and sending him flying into the air.  
  
Goku goes upwards for a few moments, then gathers his wits together and stops midair. He fires a low level ki blast at Jesse, who grabs the blast, spins around and lobs it back up at Goku. Goku narrowly misses being hit by his own ki blast. But after looking down at Jesse, who is wringing the hand that had grabbed the blast, it is apparent that it still hurt.  
  
'He probably won't be using that hand for a little bit,' Goku thinks to himself, 'nows my chance.' He powers up and dives for Jesse. When he reaches his opponent, they enter into a flurry of punches and kicks. And sure enough, Jesse was fighting one handed. He wasn't using the hand that had grabbed the ki blast. And because of this, every other punch was connecting.  
  
"You've got some good moves," Goku says as he continues the onslaught, "your fighting style is somehow familiar."  
  
"I was trained by a warrior named Olibu," Jesse manages to reply.  
  
Goku breaks off the attack and jumps back in surprise.  
  
"Olibu?" he asks, "is he about half again as tall as I am, thickly muscled, blonde hair, and has a just plain heroic look and voice?"  
  
"Ah, so I see you've met him," Jesse says as he wrings his hurting hand, "tell me, is he doing okay?"  
  
"He is doing fine," Goku says, "he's the second strongest person from all the northern quadrant."  
  
"I take it you're the strongest," Jesse says, amused.  
  
"I still have to go Super Saiyan to beat him," Goku says.  
  
"Well, you won't have to do that to beat me," Jesse says, crouching, "believe me, I'm nowhere near as strong as he is." With that, he launches himself up into the air.  
  
"Blaze Ball!" he yells, focusing yellow-gold flaming ki, not at all unlike the ki that accompanied Goku's first transformation into a Super Saiyan Jesse makes a motion with his hand and sends the attack flying at Goku.  
  
Goku dodges the energy ball, but it stops in midair behind him and reverses direction, hitting him in the back. The eruption of pure ki energy rips through Goku's body, encircles him, and flashes blindingly.  
  
"Absolutely incredible," Krillin mutters, "I've never seen an attack like that."  
  
"Neither have I Krillin," Shin says, "it is quite formidable. Jesse has the advantage of experience and techniques over Goku, but Goku has superior speed, strength, and a natural fighting ability like all Saiyans. This will be an interesting match."  
  
"Kakarott will win," Vegeta mutters, "he won't even have to go Super Saiyan. The kid is good, I'll admit that, but he doesn't stand a chance."  
  
Meanwhile, Gohan was still on the run from Videl.  
  
"GOHAN, YOU GET BACK HERE!" Videl screeches.  
  
"I'm sorry Videl!" Gohan yells behind him, "I didn't mean anything insulting about it!"  
  
Gohan hears the roar of the crowd as they cheer Goku and Jesse on in their fight.  
  
"I'm missing dad fight," he mutters angrily, "wait a minute! Videl can't sense ki yet. And she's not very fast when it comes to flying, so." Gohan powers up to Super Saiyan and takes off. He is out of sight before Videl can react.  
  
"Why that no good," Videl begins and then launches into a series of words a young lady shouldn't know.  
  
Gohan, on the other hand, was congratulating himself on how cleverly he escaped Videl. He powers down and goes up among the stands. He locates his mom, Bulma, his grandfather, Roshi, Marron, and Yamcha by zeroing in on Yamcha's ki.  
  
"Hey guys," he says as he sits down.  
  
"Gohan, what are you doing here?" Chichi demands, "you should be in the back, readying for your next match. You've got to win the prize money for us."  
  
"I know mom, but right now I'm hiding from Videl," Gohan says.  
  
"You mean your girlfriend?" Yamcha asks.  
  
"She's not my girlfriend!" Gohan yells at Yamcha, "she's just a friend and I just insulted her by reminding her when I asked her to cut her hair because she would find flying easier if she didn't have long hair getting in the way."  
  
"She's mad at you?" Chichi demands, "you had better go and find her before she decides she's not gonna marry you."  
  
"Mom, we're not even dating!" Gohan protests, "she's just a friend and when she's angry she's scarier than you are with a frying pan, and she doesn't even need the frying pan."  
  
"Yikes," Yamcha chuckles, "you Saiyans sure know how to pick strong-willed women."  
  
"What was that?" Bulma demands.  
  
"It's a complement Bulma," Yamcha says, "you and Chichi are very strong- willed. You don't take anything from Vegeta's bad attitude and Chichi knows how to handle strong guys like Goku and Gohan."  
  
"So Gohan, what do you think of your father's match?" Master Roshi asks.  
  
Gohan glances at the match. "I knew Jesse was strong, but I'm surprised he's able to go toe-to-toe with dad."  
  
"I noticed you went Super Saiyan," Bulma says, "I thought you weren't gonna do that."  
  
"I wasn't, but how else was I supposed to defeat the Supreme Kai?" Gohan asks.  
  
"Th-the Supreme Kai!" Yamcha and Master Roshi gasp.  
  
"Who's that?" Bulma and Chichi ask.  
  
"Well, when Goku first died, he went to King Kai to train for the arrival of Vegeta and Raditz," Yamcha begins, "he watches over our entire area of space. There are three other Kai's that look over another fourth of space. There is another Kai, the Grand Kai, who watches over the major stuff over the entire galaxy. I didn't even know there was a Supreme Kai."  
  
"He watches over rare circumstances," Gohan explains, "a wizard named Babidi has come to Earth to release a monster named Majin Buu. Jesse says a Demon called Dabura is helping him and that he is as strong as, if not stronger, than I am."  
  
"Stronger than you?" Yamcha yelps, "that's incredible."  
  
"I'm not even a comparison to Majin Buu," Gohan says sullenly, "no one is. And Dabura plans to merge with him the moment he is released, thus multiplying his power to practically limitless bounds."  
  
"So you've got to stop him from releasing Buu?" Roshi asks.  
  
"Yep," Gohan says, "Yamu and Spopovitch were supposed to gather energy here at the tournament, but you saw what happened to them. Jesse says he knows where Babidi's ship is and will take us there as soon as the tournament is over."  
  
"Why not go ahead and go and get him now?" Yamcha asks.  
  
"Because the tournament will strengthen our two strongest fighters, dad and myself," Gohan replies, "Kabito has the ability to heal people a lot like Dende. After we fight, Kabito will heal us and we'll be stronger than ever before. We would stand a much better chance after that."  
  
"This Jesse looks like he is quite skilled," Roshi says.  
  
"He goes to school with me," Gohan replies, "so did the guy dad fought in the Quarter Finals, Zarvon. It turns out that Zarvon is somehow a Saiyan."  
  
"What?!" Bulma yelps. Yamcha and Roshi soon echo him.  
  
"How is that possible?" Bulma demands.  
  
"Bulma, you know how time is slowed in the event horizon of a black hole?" Gohan asks. Bulma nods. "Well, on his way to Earth decades ago before the Saiyans were enslaved by Frieza, Zarvon got caught in the gravity well of a black hole and got caught in the event horizon. Eventually the momentum he had carried him out, but nearly fifty years had passed. It turns out he was actually Nappa's father."  
  
"Nappa?" Yamcha asks, "you mean that big dumb guy that was with Vegeta when he arrived?"  
  
"The one and the same," Gohan replies.  
  
"Wow, look at mister Goku and that guy who beat mommy go!" Marron says in excitement.  
  
And indeed, Goku and Jesse had taken the battle to a new level. They were clasping hands, struggling in a battle of brute strength. And it was obvious that Jesse was being completely overwhelmed by Goku.  
  
"He definitely doesn't seem to be as strong as Goku," Chichi remarks.  
  
"He's not, and he knows it," Gohan replies, "but he plans on giving it his all so when dad is healed by Kabito he'll be stronger for it. As for himself, the experience of fighting one of the strongest warriors to ever live is an honor in his opinion. He wants to see how he measures up to dad. Strange though. He never said he was a real martial artist. He simply called himself a warrior."  
  
"A warrior and a martial artist are not the same thing," Master Roshi says, "a martial artist fights with weapons only when he absolutely must. A warrior uses whatever is handy to defend himself and others when it is needed. Generally, it is better to have a warrior fighting at your side than a martial artist."  
  
"Let's watch this match, shall we?" Yamcha says, "this is good and its hard enough to concentrate without you guys talking." And so they watch the match.  
  
Jesse was matching Goku blow for blow, but for every blow he landed on Goku, Goku's was three times worse at least.  
  
'He's very strong,' Jesse thinks to himself, 'he is a true martial artist. And he has the heart of a warrior. Pure and noble, yet dedicated to protecting those unable to protect themselves. Yes, his destiny has been great and it would be greater still if he allowed his family to wish him back. I truly believe he has no limits when his heart is set to achieve them.'  
  
He leaps back and makes a motion like a chop, but stops his hand when it is even with Goku. A beam of pure ki energy shoots from his fingers.  
  
Goku knocks the ki blast away. He gets an idea. But he would have to wait until the right opportunity to try it.  
  
And that opportunity presents itself right away. Jesse charges at Goku, with a ki blast in his left hand ready to be thrown with a punch. Goku uses the after-image technique and his speed to move right behind Jesse. But somehow Jesse senses this and spins around and ki blasts Goku right in the face at point blank range. The punch that immediately followed knocked Goku back a hundred feet.  
  
Jesse takes this opening to make a few strange motions with his hands. He jabs downwards with both hands, then spreads his fingers wide. He then folds the ring and pinkie fingers inwards and pushes the index and middle fingers together and motions towards himself with the fingers. He then motions them outwards and closes them into fists. He then spreads his fingers up his hand so that the tips of his fingers were touching the joints on the palm of his hand. He then opens his hands flat and presses them flat together to his right side like the Kamehameha. He then floats up into the air He opens the palms slightly so that there was space between the palms of his hands. A sparkling ball of lightning shimmers in between his hands.  
  
"Target Track!" he calls out, opening his middle fingers. A beam of intense white light emits from his hand the size of the space between his ring and index fingers and hits Goku in the chest.  
  
"What the?!" Goku yelps when he realizes that the beam isn't an ordinary ki blast and isn't hurting him.  
  
"Drain Cannon!" Jesse yells, opening his ring and index fingers so that his hand is like a cup, with the bowl of the cup being his pinkie and index fingers. The shimmering sphere erupts from his hands and travels along the beam of energy that had been released and was now larger, encompassing the size of the space between his pinkie and index fingers.  
  
Goku realizes too late what the beam of light had been. The next thing he knows is the shimmering sphere hitting him in the chest. A brilliant explosion of pure light erupts the moment the sphere touches Goku. Goku yells in surprise, but he is trapped.  
  
Jesse smiles. This would take Goku down closer to his level. It was his trump card: the Drain Cannon. Jesse still wasn't sure how it worked, but it did considerable damage to a person, draining most of their energy. Of course, for someone like Goku it would only take him down to Jesse's level. But only for his normal form. If Goku went Super Saiyan Jesse knew he wouldn't be able to hold up for long, no matter what tricks he used.  
  
The light finally fades away to reveal Goku gasping for breath.  
  
Up in the stands, Chichi was going crazy (A/N: I would make a comment here, but right now it feels as if someone with a frying pan is lurking nearby.).  
  
"What did he do to Goku?" she screeches.  
  
"I don't know, but suddenly dad's strength has dropped by half," Gohan says.  
  
"Yeah, the drop was so fast its hard to believe," Yamcha says, "even when you first ascended you didn't do damage like that to Cell."  
  
"I did worse, but if you take into account the strength of dad and Jesse, then you're right," Gohan says, "if I do end up facing Jesse in the Finals, at least I'll be warned about it."  
  
"Did you see how long it took for him to prepare that attack?" Roshi asks, "he waited till he had Goku out of the way, or at least disposed of. It was surprise that ruled in that young man's favor for the rest of the attack."  
  
"Yeah," Gohan says, "but forewarned is forearmed, right?"  
  
"I'd like to know how he did that," Yamcha says, "if Jesse has been fighting at his full strength this entire time then how could he have been able to do that much damage to Goku?"  
  
"I don't know," Gohan says, "but Jesse has years of fighting experience. It'll take a while to explain it all, but he has more fighting experience than all of us combined."  
  
"Did you include me in that equation?" Roshi asks haughtily.  
  
"I did," Gohan says, "between you, dad, Vegeta, and Piccolo you have quite a bit of fighting experience. But Jesse has more experience than all of us."  
  
"I'd really like to here the story about that," Roshi comments.  
  
"So would I," Yamcha says, "yikes, that had to hurt!"  
  
Indeed, the punch that had just connected with Jesse's appeared to have done a lot of damage. That much was evident since Jesse had just formed a crater in the arena wall.  
  
"And Jesse has landed outside of the ring!" the announcer declares, "Goku is going to the finals!"  
  
"Well, I'd better be getting down there to see if Jesse is okay and to congratulate dad," Gohan says, "plus I have a bit of talking to do with the ref."  
  
Well, what did you think of this chapter? I know I suck at writing fights, but at least I only have one more tournament fight to deal with. Next up, the Finals. Gohan versus Goku. Father versus son. The boy who saved the universe once against the man who has saved it several times. 


	7. Chapter Six: The Finals

Well, Chapter 6. There are at least three more chapters to this fic. Maybe more once I see all of the Buu Saga.  
  
Videl was on guard, knowing Gohan would have to get back to the back area sooner or later. Luckily, Gohan makes it to the back area without Videl noticing him.  
  
"Hey dad, great match," Gohan says,  
  
"Thanks Gohan," Goku smiles, "we're up next."  
  
"I know," Gohan says, "how badly did Jesse rough you up?"  
  
"Pretty badly," Goku says, "that one attack of his felt like it took away half my strength."  
  
"If it worked like it was supposed to, it did," Jesse says from behind him.  
  
"What?" Gohan asks.  
  
"That attack, my Drain Cannon, drains away half of a person's maximum strength. Of course, it doesn't seem to acknowledge transformations that a person can still achieve, such as Super Saiyan."  
  
"Still, its pretty good," Shin says, "however did you come up with it?"  
  
"I didn't," Jesse replies, "it was taught to me by an odd warrior in Limbo. As soon as I mastered it, he disappeared. I think his time in Limbo was just about up. That was three hundred years ago."  
  
"Excuse me folks, but there's a few things I need to ask you," the announcer says to Goku and Gohan, "now Goku, for the final match, I need some new information to tell the fans."  
  
"Well, I have been dead for the last seven years," Goku says with his usual simple attitude.  
  
"Um, yeah," the announcer says, "anything else?"  
  
"No, not really," Goku says.  
  
"You could tell the crowd about Goku defeating the Red Ribbon Army," Jesse pipes up. At the looks of surprise the others gave him, he continued. "I've done a bit of reading about you sir. You're in some of the more recent history books."  
  
"He's right, you know," Pegaro says, "you are in some of the recent history books."  
  
"Goku, I seem to recall several years ago some aliens arrived on Earth and you were named as part of Earth's Special Forces to fight them off," the announcer says.  
  
"Really? Who said that?" Goku wonders.  
  
"A Mr. Yajirobe," the announcer replies.  
  
"Well, I guess its kinda true," Goku says, "I did arrive to help."  
  
"Dad, you beat Vegeta and Nappa both," Gohan says bluntly.  
  
"Wow, you single-handedly beat both of the aliens, including the one who destroyed the entire Royal Navy?!" the announcer yelps in excitement.  
  
"Well, yeah," Goku replies, "Vegeta was tough though."  
  
"In Vegeta, do you mean this gentleman right here?" the announcer asks nervously, indicating Vegeta.  
  
Vegeta smirks evilly. "That's right. I came to Earth to destroy it, but this fool beat me. I have now come to be fond of this planet, so there's no danger of destroying it. Especially since my son is the Junior Champion of this pathetic tournament."  
  
"Goku, the other Finalist in the Junior Tournament looked a lot like you do, especially when you fought Jackie Chun all those years ago," the announcer says.  
  
"Well, Goten is my son," Goku replies proudly, "I just wish he had been allowed to fight here in the adult competition. He and Trunks would do great. And one of them would have gotten at least one good fight from someone other than each other."  
  
"And you, Saiyaman, is it?" the announcer says, "I need a bit more information about you if you for the Finals."  
  
"Well, I've decided to drop the Saiyaman persona," Gohan replies, "its ridiculous. The, er, poses I do apparently embarrass all my friends and now that I realize what they make me look like, they embarrass me as well."  
  
"Ah, so you're gonna tell us your real name?" the announcer asks urgently.  
  
"My name is Son Gohan, and Son Goku is my dad," Gohan replies, looking proudly at his father.  
  
"Wow, a father versus son match!" the announcer yelps in joy, "this is great! The ratings are gonna go through the roof! Though to tell the truth, I wish we didn't have to be so commercial, but after that last fight between you and Majunior, Goku, we just couldn't stay in business the old fashioned way. We're still trying to promote true martial arts, the way you do it, but with Hercule Satan for a World Champion that is practically impossible. He'd get me fired if I kept insisting that the attacks you and the others could do were more than just simple light shows and tricks."  
  
"I'm glad that someone finally shut that big goon up," Krillin chuckles, "And to make things even better, it wasn't one of us. It was Gohan's friend Pegaro, and he wasn't trained by any of us and beat him in every fair way. His abilities are still within the limits of normal humans."  
  
"Indeed," Zarvon says, "you are quite strong, Pegaro, for a human."  
  
"Gee, thanks Zarvon," Pegaro replies, not sure if Zarvon was joking or something.  
  
"Well, I think I have all of the information that I need," the announcer says, "the Finals begin in fifteen minutes. There is no time limit. I've been talking with the judges and, judging from your last fights, 30 minutes or even an hour are not enough time. I remember your first Finals match Goku. You and Jackie Chun fought for hours."  
  
"Yeah, I remember that quite well," Goku says, "Jackie Chun was a great fighter."  
  
"Do you think there's time to get something to eat before the Finals?" Gohan asks.  
  
"You have thirty minutes to prepare however you want," the announcer replies.  
  
"Gee, I don't think thirty minutes is gonna be enough time to get enough to eat," Goku says.  
  
"You said it dad," Gohan agrees, "but we can try, can't we?"  
  
"Yep," Goku says, turning around and heading for the cafeteria. Gohan follows him.  
  
"Hey dad, what do you say we have an eating contest?" Gohan asks as they near the cafeteria.  
  
"Your on Gohan," Goku grins, "lets go!" With that, he makes a mad dash to the cafeteria with Gohan hot on his heels.  
  
But what greets Gohan at the cafeteria stops Gohan dead in his tracks.  
  
"I knew you would come here eventually," Videl says with a sinister grin. Gohan gulps and begins inching away.  
  
"Uh, Videl, Gohan and I are about to have an eating contest and then we're gonna be in the Finals," Goku says.  
  
"Congratulations on making it to the Finals Goku," Videl says, her eyes never leaving Gohan. Sensing that he is in trouble, Gohan turns and runs.  
  
"GOHAN, YOU GET BACK HERE!" Videl screams, then takes off after him.  
  
"Was I ever like that when I was their age Piccolo?" Goku asks his Namekian friend.  
  
"Can't really say Goku," Piccolo says, "you might want to ask Bulma. Out of everyone to ever meet you, she knows you best."  
  
"Well, I'm going to eat," Goku says happily and heads for the buffet table, "sure hope Gohan is able to lose Videl and come and eat."  
  
"I don't think he'll lose her easily this time," Piccolo says, "he's either gonna get caught coming back here or he'll fight in the Finals without getting anything to eat."  
  
"So he's gonna lose either way?" Goku asks as he begins stuffing his face. Three entire roasted turkeys disappear into his mouth in a matter of moments. Piccolo shudders and looks away lest he get sick to his Namekian stomach.  
  
In the meantime, Videl was using every bit of her energy to try and catch Gohan before he had a chance to go Super Saiyan and escape. And Gohan was doing everything he could to get away from Videl before she caught him. So far, it looked like things were dead even.  
  
Unfortunate for Gohan, Zarvon was watching and was getting an idea. He wanted to know what Videl would do to Gohan when she got ahold of him. Turning up his power, he flies up and grabs hold of Videl.  
  
"Gohan, run now!" he yells.  
  
"Let me go Zarvon!" Videl demands, "or I'm gonna hurt you."  
  
"Don't worry," Zarvon says with a sly grin, "I'm letting Gohan thinking I'm helping him. I gonna lure him someplace that he can't escape from without causing a lot of property damage and then bring you there.  
  
Videl stops struggling. She grins evilly. "I like the sound of that."  
  
"Good," Zarvon nods, "meet us at the Junior Division cafeteria. I'll take him there to eat. He needs to eat or he won't be able to fight properly in the Finals. Meet us there in ten minutes."  
  
"Okay," Videl says then heads for the ground and starts walking for the Junior Division cafeteria.  
  
Grinning like a fool, Zarvon goes off looking for Gohan. He finally asks Krillin to home in on Gohan's ki and lead him to it after filling Krillin in on his plan.  
  
"Zarvon, my man, there's a good chance Gohan will strangle you when he gets away from Videl," Krillin snickers as he leads him to Gohan's location, "he's right out there. I'm sure you can find him with your eyes. After all, the eyesight of a Saiyan is far superior to a human's."  
  
"That's for sure," Zarvon chuckles, "thanks Krillin." Zarvon walks out into the stands to see Gohan sitting directly behind Erasa and Sharpner. He chuckles. Those two obviously did not know Gohan was behind them. He had turned back into his civilian clothes so he wouldn't cause a disturbance with his outfit.  
  
"Hey Gohan, there you are!" he calls out, "I've been trying to find you."  
  
Sharpner and Erasa immediately turn around to see Gohan flinching.  
  
"Hey Zarvon, great match!" Erasa says, "too bad you lost. Hey Gohan, we didn't see you back there."  
  
"Gohan, I must admire your genius on ditching an angry Videl," Zarvon chuckles, "but we've redirected her. She's gonna be camped out at the main cafeteria until the Finals. Now is the time to go to the Junior Division cafeteria to get something to eat if you're hungry."  
  
"Am I ever!" Gohan says, "fighting Jesse and Shin took a lot out of me. I need to eat to recover some of my strength."  
  
"You mean that WAS you fighting?" Sharpner asks in disbelief.  
  
"Yeah," Gohan says sheepishly.  
  
"Gohan, you're the Great Saiyaman?" Erasa asks.  
  
"Yeah," Gohan says, "uh, I need to go. I'm very hungry." With that, Gohan takes off, grabbing Zarvon's arm and dragging him behind him.  
  
"Hey Gohan, come back here!" Erasa cries out.  
  
"Don't worry, we'll catch him after the Finals," Sharpner says, "then we'll find out whats going on."  
  
"Thanks for getting Videl out of my hair until the Finals Zarvon," Gohan says, thanking his fellow Saiyan profusely. Zarvon just grins and leads Gohan to the Junior Division cafeteria.  
  
Upon entering the cafeteria, Gohan attacks the buffet. He piles his food up so high Zarvon wondered how he would carry it all, Super Saiyan or not. But Gohan managed to get it all to a table and began eating. Five minutes later, Zarvon sees Videl walking towards the cafeteria. Smiling, he motions for her to enter the other way. Gohan was facing the entrance. Videl walks in the back way and sneaks up behind Gohan.  
  
"Wait till he's finished eating," Zarvon whispers, "Saiyans tend to move a bit slower after they have just eaten if the prospect of a major battle isn't in the immediate horizon. Especially when they eat as much as it looks like he'll eat."  
  
"Thanks for the advice," Videl whispers back, "now I've got him."  
  
"What are you gonna do to him?" Zarvon asks, intrigued.  
  
"I think just frightening him is enough for now," Videl smirks evilly. (A/N: I really don't think anyone but a woman can master a truly evil smirk.)  
  
"You are evil," Zarvon chuckles, "startling a Saiyan just after they have eaten is about the only way to give one indigestion. Startling one while they are eating will make him start to choke."  
  
Videl frowns. "Well, I don't want to choke him. What do you think I should do?"  
  
"Wait till he finishes eating," Zarvon says, "besides, if you startled him while he is eating then you'll likely get sprayed with food."  
  
Videl grimaces. "Yuck."  
  
"Wait till he's done eating," Zarvon says, pulling up a couple of chairs behind Gohan, "it shouldn't take him long to finish what he has on the table. Besides, he won't want to move so soon after a meal."  
  
"You and Gohan are the only people I've ever seen eat like that," Videl says as she sits down, "it's incredible. Where do you put it?"  
  
"Saiyans burn calories pretty quickly," Zarvon replies, "its one of the secrets to our strength. We can eat just about anything that is even remotely edible. I've been known to eat bones a time or two. Some of the more course and uncouth Saiyans that I know have eaten animals raw, bones and all."  
  
"Yuck," Videl repeats, "that's disgusting."  
  
"Many Saiyans prefer cooked food though," Zarvon chuckles, "simply because it tastes better and it gives us no complications down the road."  
  
"Say, how old are you Zarvon?" Videl asks, "are you really no older than Gohan and me?"  
  
"I'm probably a few Earth years older," Zarvon replies, "on planet Vegeta I'd be considered a fully grown Saiyan warrior. In fact, I already have a son. Though it appears that he is dead."  
  
"You mean that big guy that came eleven years ago?" Videl asks, "he caused a lot of damage, including destroying the entire Royal Navy. Only Earth's Special Forces, which is apparently Gohan and his dad's friends, fought them. No one really knows what happened. Some of the fighters died. Chiao- Tzu died fighting the big guy, who was apparently your son. The famous baseball player and martial artist, Yamcha, died fighting one of the green creatures that your son grew."  
  
"You mean Saibamen?" Zarvon asks, surprised, "strange. Anyone that I know who would have raised Nappa in my absence detested the Saibamen."  
  
"Hey, it looks like Gohan is almost done," Videl remarks as she sees Gohan descend upon the last cooked chicken. Zarvon chuckles. At least he finally knew how Gohan could eat so much. A few seconds later and Gohan has eaten the last chicken. Smiling wickedly, Videl gets out of her seat and moves behind Gohan.  
  
"You know, I don't think I'm ever gonna get used to seeing someone eat like that Gohan," she says sweetly. Gohan pales in his seat.  
  
"Ugh.. h.. hi Videl," he stammers. He was afraid. And it was a fear that only a woman could put in a man. And unfortunately for Gohan, Videl was planning on capitalizing on it.  
  
"Well, Gohan, now we can talk if you're done eating," Videl says, still staying deceptively sweet.  
  
Gohan was getting a feeling that he might wanna try and run. Zarvon sees this and puts a stop to it.  
  
"Don't even try and run Gohan," Zarvon chuckles, "I want to see what happens now that Videl has caught up with you."  
  
"Can't you have pity on a guy?" Gohan whines.  
  
"Nope," Zarvon grins.  
  
"Okay," Gohan sighs, "what do you want to talk about Videl?"  
  
"For one thing, you owe me more of an explanation about Saiyans," Videl says, "now spill it."  
  
"Well, tell me what you want me to elaborate on and I'll tell you," Gohan says.  
  
"Tell me about the fight with Cell," Videl says.  
  
At the mention of Cell, Gohan's face darkens considerably.  
  
"Whats wrong?" Videl asks.  
  
"You know my dad is dead, right?" Gohan asks calmly.  
  
Videl was puzzled. "Yeah, so?"  
  
"He died fighting Cell," Gohan says, "surely you know that he was the one who really took the fight to Cell before I fought him. Then, when it was obvious to Cell that he couldn't defeat me, he prepared to blow himself up along with the Earth. Dad has a technique called the Instant Transmission, which enables him to transport himself anywhere instantly."  
  
"And he took Cell to another place and sacrificed himself to stop him," Videl says softly, "Gohan, I'm sorry."  
  
"I had the chance to destroy Cell before that happened though," Gohan continues, "dad never had to die. And we still could have brought him back."  
  
"How?" Videl asks.  
  
"I told you about the Dragon Balls, remember?" Gohan says, "well, even though earth's Dragon Balls can only bring someone back once, the Namekian Dragon balls can bring someone back as often as he wants. We could have used the second wish of our Dragon Balls to go to Namek, gather their Dragon Balls, and wish dad back. But he didn't want to come back."  
  
"He is definitely different from any other Saiyan," Zarvon says, "he's stronger than any other Saiyan I have ever met, and he is more honorable than any other to have ever lived."  
  
"He fell and hit his head hard when he was a baby," Gohan says, "he was sent to Earth to destroy it."  
  
"If he was sent as a baby, then he still would have destroyed it as long as he had his tail," Zarvon says.  
  
"Whats so special about your tails?" Videl asks.  
  
"To a Saiyan, a tail is a mark of pride and honor," Zarvon says, "but it also serves another purpose. When there is a full moon, we transform into incredible beasts."  
  
"Gigantic apes is what Bulma once told me," Gohan says, "though I know it's a deadly insult to call a Saiyan a monkey."  
  
"Who would dare?" Zarvon hisses.  
  
"A tyrant named Frieza," Gohan says, "he enslaved the entire Saiyan race except for my dad and destroyed the planet Vegeta just after my dad was sent to Earth. He single-handedly killed the entire Saiyan race except for my dad, Vegeta, Nappa, and dad's brother, Raditz."  
  
"Where are Nappa and this Raditz?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Raditz was killed when he came to Earth many years ago to find my dad," Gohan says, "Piccolo killed him, though my dad had to hold him in place so Piccolo's attack would hit."  
  
"And Nappa?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Nappa and Vegeta arrived a year later to get the Dragon Balls," Gohan says, "Piccolo, Krillin, myself, and three others had trained for a year to defeat them. Yamcha, Tien, and Chiao-Tzu all died in that battle and Piccolo sacrificed himself to block a blast Nappa had aimed at me. But when dad arrived, Nappa was totally outclassed. He tried his strongest attack at point blank range and dad countered it with a Kamehameha."  
  
"That attack he used to overpower my Bakurikimaha?" Zarvon asks.  
  
Gohan nods. "That attack was taught to him by Master Roshi. He was the strongest person on Earth for years until he trained my dad and Krillin."  
  
"Where is this Roshi now?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"You saw him when we were signing up for the tournament," Gohan says, "he was the old man."  
  
"That old pervert was the great Master Roshi?" Videl asks in disbelief.  
  
Gohan grimaces. "Mom doesn't like me associating with him. And I wouldn't if Krillin and Eighteen didn't live with him."  
  
"How does she put up with him?" Videl asks.  
  
"She's one of the strongest people on Earth," Gohan says, "she's even stronger than my mom. In fact, the only people here at the tournament strong enough to beat her are dad, Vegeta, Piccolo, myself, and apparently Jesse. And he says got lucky in beating her. She didn't expect such a challenge from someone she didn't know. In fact, neither did the rest of us."  
  
"Gohan, you said Nappa was outclassed by your father," Zarvon says, "what happened to him?"  
  
"Well, Vegeta called him off, seeing as how poor a display he was giving," Gohan begins, "he then attacked me and Krillin, who were the only ones besides my dad who were left who had opposed them when they arrived. Dad used his Kaioh-ken attack which he had learned from King Kai. He broke Nappa's back and practically crippled him for life in one blow."  
  
"What happened then?" Zarvon asks, fear in his voice.  
  
"Back then, Vegeta was completely ruthless and heartless," Gohan says, sad that he had to answer this question, "he then killed Nappa just because he was of no more use to him since dad, supposedly a third class Saiyan fought him to a standstill and then defeated him with one blow."  
  
Zarvon's voice was quivering, though in anger or sadness it was hard to tell. "Vegeta killed him?"  
  
"Yes, he did," Gohan answers. Videl was speechless. They were talking about death as if it was an old friend or something. That just wasn't right.  
  
"Hey guys, its almost time for the final match," Videl says, glancing at a clock.  
  
"She's right," Gohan says to Zarvon, "I've never really gotten a chance to fight my dad on even terms before. I definitely don't want to miss this." Gohan gets up and rushes to the entrance to the arena with Zarvon and Videl  
  
"Are you ready for our match Gohan?" Goku asks with a grin. It was the classic grin of a Saiyan who is about to take part in a challenging battle and knew it.  
  
"You got it dad," Gohan says, a mirror of Goku's grin on his own face.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, listen up and liosten good," the announcer begins, "we are now in the final match of the 25th annual Tenkaichi Budoukai. And we have a major fight about to happen. As you know, both of our competitors are very strong and highly skilled martial artists. Goku has been fighting in the tournament since he was only 12 years old and so far ahs made it to the Finals in every tournament he has been in. His first Finals match against Jackie Chun ended in a draw, though by the rules for such an event Jackie Chun won by being the first to stand up and declare himself the champion. His second tournament appearance found him fighting against Tenshinhan, who won via judges decision after a double ring out! And his third appearance in the 23rd Tenkaichi Budoukai ended with him defeating the fighter known as Majunior in an all out battle the likes of which has never been seen before or since! In the 23rd tournament, he fought a woman named Chichi and married her after he won the tournament! Isn't that something folks? And now he has made it to the Finals of the 25th Tenkaichi Budoukai and is our default champion since he defeated Jesse, who defeated Pegaro, who defeated the former champion Hercule! So lets hear it up for Goku!"  
  
The crowd goes wild as Goku steps out and into the ring. The announcer takes a deep breath.  
  
"Now, for a major surprise," he begins, "it seems that the Great Saiyaman has decided to forego hiding his identity and has decided to fight under his true name! So lets hear it up for Gohan!"  
  
The crowd cheers loudly as Gohan enters the ring. Sharpner and Erasa were dumbfounded at seeing their classmate being not only the Great Saiyaman, but also the Gold Fighter and a splendid martial artist.  
  
"As it turns out, Gohan is actually the son of Goku, making this a father versus son match. The first ever in the entire history of the tournament!" the announcer says loudly, "he is also a schoolmate of Videl, Pegaro, and Zarvon. He has shown himself to be an excellent martial artist and was quite likely taught martial arts by his father. He has shown to be able to use the Kamehameha Wave developed by the martial arts legend Master Roshi, and his father was also an expert in that technique so it is likely that he was taught by his father. So how will this match turn out? Well, from past experience I've learned to never expect anything in the Finals when Goku is involved."  
  
"Wow, that really is Gohan," Erasa giggles, "who knew he was such a fighter?"  
  
"I sure didn't," Sharpner grumbles, "and here he is the Finals of the Tenkaichi Budoukai when even Hercule didn't make it past the first round."  
  
"Well," the nerd begins, "it appears that Gohan is quite good at hiding a lot of things. When that gold aura of energy surrounded him, it reminded me of those fighters at the Cell Games."  
  
"Wait, Gohan is our age, right?" Erasa asks, "we were about the same age as that delivery boy that showed up. What if he wasn't a delivery boy, but he was actually supposed to fight Cell?"  
  
"You don't think it was Gohan, do you?" Sharpner demands, "that's just preposterous!"  
  
"Well, how else do you explain why he always ditched class when he knew beforehand that stuff about the Cell Games were to be talked about?" Erasa demands, "and those times when it was sprung on us, he was very uncomfortable about what was said."  
  
"She has a point," the nerd says, "but what does it mean?"  
  
"Lets watch the fight," Sharpner says, "if anything is meant by it, then we'll surely find out."  
  
"So dad, how are we gonna go about this fight?" Gohan asks, "I've already revealed my transformation to Super Saiyan to the crowd, but I've changed over the years so its not likely they can connect me to the Cell Games."  
  
"I say we show them our full power," Goku says with his classic Saiyan battle grin, "I want to see how you've done in your training ion the last seven years."  
  
"Well, to tell you the truth I've been slacking off," Gohan admits.  
  
"Still, I want to see what you're capable of," Goku says as he begins to power up.  
  
"Okay dad," Gohan says and powers up as well.  
  
After a few moments of powering up, the two transform into the first level of Super Saiyans.  
  
"Wow, Gohan's dad is a Gold Fighter as well?" Erasa asks.  
  
"Hey, he looks like that guy that fought Cell at the Cell Games!" Sharpner exclaims.  
  
"Hey, you're right," the nerd says, "wow, maybe Gohan was that kid after all."  
  
"Gonna go to the next level Gohan?" Goku asks.  
  
"Well dad, since you can't Ascend it would be unfair," Gohan says.  
  
But as soon as those words had left Gohan's mouth, Goku Ascends. Lightning bolts spark around his body and his hair becomes a bit spikier. Gohan's jaw drops.  
  
"Well, I guess that leaves Vegeta being the only one who can't ascend," Gohan chuckles, then Ascends himself.  
  
"Ready Gohan?" Goku asks, crouching into a fighting stance.  
  
"Sure thing dad," Gohan says, crouching into his own fighting stance.  
  
"Well, this was unexpected, but I'm sure it'll make the match a lot more interesting," the announcer says, "ready and fight!"  
  
As soon as the announcer started the fight, Gohan and Goku both launch themselves at each other, fists flying in punches and blocks.  
  
"Wow, I can feel the power radiating off of them," Videl whispers in awe.  
  
Vegeta looks on angrily. 'Kakarott has reached the next level before me! But that power will be mine!'  
  
"Wow, they're good," Jesse mutters to Zarvon.  
  
"What is this?" Shin asks in awe. Kabito was chocked speechless at how much power Gohan and Goku were both radiating.  
  
"They are fighting as Ascendant Super Saiyans," Piccolo explains, "it is a level beyond that of the Super Saiyan. Their power far surpasses it. It appears now Goku can reach this level. Before, only Gohan could."  
  
"There's a level beyond that of the Super Saiyan?" Zarvon asks, his voice quiet.  
  
"Yes," Piccolo says, "their power is beyond anything capable of the rest of us."  
  
"Surely not," Kabito scoffs.  
  
"Are they at their strongest?" Shin asks calmly.  
  
"Gohan is, but I can't say for Goku," Piccolo says, "he might be. He is a better fighter than Gohan is and right now he is slightly stronger than Gohan."  
  
"He is the strongest man in the entire universe," Shin says softly.  
  
"Supreme Kai, surely you don't imply that these two Earthlings are stronger than you?" Kabito demands, his voice harsh.  
  
"But I do Kabito," Shin says, his eyes alight with delight, "the power of the both of them in their Super Saiyan form is beyond my power. Surely between the two of them we can stop Babidi."  
  
Jesse smiles. "They are both as strong as Dabura. If I fail to destroy him, one of those two can stop him."  
  
"Their power far surpasses my own," Vegeta growls.  
  
"Poor Vegeta, they left you behind again?" Krillin says mockingly.  
  
"Watch it cue ball," Vegeta snarls.  
  
Gohan and Goku go at it again, matching each other blow for blow.  
  
"So Gohan, is this the best you've got?" Goku asks as he ducks a kick.  
  
"Not far from it dad," Gohan says as he swerves out of the way of a punch.  
  
"You've gotten rusty in seven years," Goku chides, "if this Majin Buu and Dabura are any threat then you're sorely prepared for them."  
  
"You know whats really bad dad?" Gohan asks as he blocks a punch with both hands and spins to throw Goku around.  
  
"Whats that son?" Goku asks as he recovers and fires a quick ki blast at Gohan.  
  
Gohan dodges the ki blast easily, countering with one of his own. "The worst thing about it is that if I am ill-prepared for this fight, then Vegeta will get more arrogant and say 'I told you so'."  
  
"He's been training nonstop all these years huh?" Goku chuckles, "sounds like Vegeta."  
  
"He's been training Trunks," Gohan replies, "apparently he's determined to make him stronger than me. I think its finally sunk in that he can't catch up with either of us so he's gonna use his son to do it."  
  
"Makes sense if you use Vegeta's logic," Goku says, "he probably sees it as I finally beat him completely when you Ascended. But he sees our kids as having more potential than pure Saiyans have. So the only way he can ever beat me now is by having Trunks become stronger than you."  
  
"I'd help if it would actually make him happy, but its more likely to make him insufferably arrogant than truly happy," Gohan says, firing a Masenko at his father.  
  
"I've been watching in on all of you from time to time and Vegeta is happy with the way his life has come about," Goku says as he blocks the attack, "though you know he is too proud and tough to ever admit it."  
  
"He doesn't have to," Gohan chuckles, "even Piccolo, who isn't that good at judging peoples emotions, can tell that he cares for Bulma and Trunks."  
  
Hearing this, Piccolo chuckles.  
  
"What are they saying, Namek?" Vegeta demands. He had sneezed three times since the match started, "I know both of those baka's are talking about me. What are they saying."  
  
"They are talking about anything and everything," Piccolo says, eyes never leaving the fight, "Goku says he watches us all from time to time." Vegeta scowls.  
  
"That clown had better keep what he's seen about me to himself if he knows whats good for him," Vegeta growls.  
  
"What are they talking about?" Videl asks Eighteen, "how can Piccolo hear whats going on all the way out there in the ring?"  
  
"His ears are exceptionally good," Krillin explains, "he could probably have heard a single pin drop in all of that panic when Cell threatened to blow up the Earth year's ago."  
  
"Did he ever fight Cell?" Videl asks.  
  
"He was the first to fight him," Krillin replies, "for a while he was stronger than Cell, but because Cell became stronger whenever he absorbed someone he became a lot stronger, by the second time they fought he was outclassed. It didn't help that he was already tired from fighting Eighteen's brother, Seventeen."  
  
"You have got to tell me all about this sometime," Videl says.  
  
"Trust me, you ain't heard nothing yet Videl," Krillin says, "how much has Gohan told you?"  
  
"He's told me quite a bit, I think, but not everything," Videl admits.  
  
"Maybe when this is all over you can find out everything in detail," Krillin says.  
  
"As long as we can leave Master Roshi at his island," Eighteen remarks dryly, "I do not like being around him any more than I have to."  
  
"I know you were hoping to win some of the prize money so we could move away from Roshi Eighteen, but we just didn't get a good draw in the tournament matchups," Krillin says.  
  
"Whats embarrassing is losing to this mere boy," Eighteen says, gesturing towards Jesse.  
  
Jesse grins. "Trust me, I likely wouldn't have won if it wasn't for me being empowering by my magical enhancement when fighting evil emotions, and your greed can be considered an evil emotion. If you had been fighting for the money for a worthy cause, like charity or to help out your hometown or something, then you would have taken me out easily. Well, maybe not easily but you would have won after an extremely tough match."  
  
"Actually, I think you still would have won," Eighteen says, "you're the first person I've fought against who could sense my location. Androids don't give off ki signatures. The surprise is what enabled you to win after all."  
  
"True, but you still have life force, even if it isn't largely human," Jesse replies, "but my blow wouldn't have been anywhere near as strong as it was if not for your greed."  
  
"Hey Gohan, are you at your max?" Goku asks after the two engage in a brief ki struggle.  
  
"Pretty much dad," Gohan replies.  
  
"I'm afraid then that you're about to be overpowered son," Goku says grimly and raises his power up to his maximum. Gohan rapidly increases his power to his max, but his father's power still surpassed his by a fair amount.  
  
"By my judge, I'd say Kakarott has surpassed the power Gohan achieved when he fought Cell," Vegeta snorts, "the boy has gotten way too soft in this time of peace. Doesn't he know that fate enjoys toying with the lives of the Saiyan race?"  
  
But Vegeta was mad. Once again the power he had worked for all his life had been put to shame. And he wasn't even sure if he was as strong as Kakarott had been during the Cell Games yet! He not knew that he would likely never catch up, but he had to try. All he had left was his pride. He was the Prince of all Saiyans, but the Saiyan race now only included himself, Kakarott's brats, Trunks, and now Zarvon. He was still one of the strongest fighters in the entire universe. Gohan was the only living being with the power to stop him. But universal domination no longer appealed to him. Vegeta felt satisfied with his life on Earth. He had a beautiful wife who was as smart as she was beautiful. He had people who respected him for who he was and looked past what he had done. He might even be able to call them his friends, though he would never admit it. He had a son who could achieve the pinnacle of the Saiyan race at the age of eight and even without the legendary Super Saiyan power he had surpassed what Vegeta himself had at twice the boys age. It had never occurred to him why he stayed. But he now knew the answer. He had come to love the Earth.  
  
What do you think of that brief introspective into Vegeta's psyche at the end of the chapter? Interesting, huh? Well, the next chapter will conclude the Tenkaichi Budoukai. A winner will emerge pretty much the way one would have if they had continued the tournament on the show instead of immediately going after Babidi. Who will win? Will Gohan take the title of the youngest Tenkachi Budoukai champion in history? Or will his father become the first known two-time champion in history. And before you say anything about Roshi, it was never said that he won the Tenkaichi Budoukai more than once before he stopped competed professionally and only Roshi and Nam know that Roshi was in fact Jackie Chun, though Yamcha was actually right for once. 


	8. Chapter Seven: Goku versus Gohan

The final chapter of the tournament is here. Who will be the winner? Rest assured, I already had it decided so anyone rooting for a particular person might be disappointed. I'm not gonna list the advantages both fighters have, because this will show an insight to the way I think and if your smart enough you'll figure out who will win beforehand and that will ruin the surprise.  
  
Gohan fires a Masenko at Goku, who dodges and counters with a strong ki blast. Gohan blocks the blast, but it drives him to the edge of the ring.  
  
"That's pretty good dad," Gohan says, "you've definitely gotten a lot stronger in the past seven years."  
  
"And you've slacked off," Goku chides his son, "if you had trained at all then you wouldn't be putting up such a pathetic display of wasted talent."  
  
"Sorry dad, but without you I just can't put my heart in it," Gohan replies, "I've done more training preparing for the tournament in the last month than I have in the rest of the past seven years combined."  
  
"You had a strong sparring partner though, didn't you?" Goku asks.  
  
"Yeah, Goten," Gohan replies, "he shocked me when he went Super Saiyan, but I've taught him everything you taught me about being a Super Saiyan."  
  
"So that's why he took to it so naturally," Goku says, "when did he first transform? And his technique is incredible for someone his age. Even I wasn't that good until I trained under Kami."  
  
"Well, believe it or not mom has trained him more than I have," Gohan replies, "she made him mad one day and he went Super Saiyan and knocked her into a tree. He said she told him to never do it again and that she called him a monster."  
  
"Yeah, she sure didn't like it when we were Super Saiyans before the Cell Games," Goku chuckles, "so how did Vegeta take Trunks being a Super Saiyan?"  
  
"To tell the truth, I really don't know," Gohan says, "you know Vegeta would never admit anything ever surprises him. You'd have to be right there and see his face if anything ever surprised him. You should have seen his face when Mirai Trunks went Super Saiyan and defeated Frieza."  
  
"I'll bet," Goku chuckles, "I still remember his face when you Ascended to Super Saiyan 2."  
  
"I never saw his face then," Gohan admits, "I was a bit preoccupied."  
  
"This match is taking too long," Goku says, "wanna just do one all out Kamehameha showdown?"  
  
Gohan grins. "Sure dad. I want to see how strong you've truly gotten and a duel of Kamehameha's would show me how much power you've gained."  
  
Goku brings his arms back into the position. "KA.ME.HA.."  
  
Gohan does the same. "KA.ME.HA.."  
  
Goku focuses his power more." ME..."  
  
Gohan puts as much power as he can into the attack. "ME.."  
  
Goku brings his arms forward and fires the mighty ki blast. "HA!"  
  
Gohan does the same. "HA!"  
  
The two blue-white ki blasts collide in the middle of the ring, pushing against each other with considerable force.  
  
"What power," Jesse gasps, shielding his eyes.  
  
"Incredible," Shin says, "their power truly is greater than my own."  
  
"This just can't be," Kabito whispers in shock.  
  
"Wow, Goku really ahs been training hard these last seven years," Krillin chuckles.  
  
'Kakarott and the brat still surpass me in power,' Vegeta thinks angrily, 'but it seems that I'm not too far off from the brats power.'  
  
"This is insane!" Piccolo cries out, "their power is just to great to be contained within the ring!"  
  
"They are certainly great warriors," Zarvon says as he tries to watch the match, but can't due to the blinding light of the two Kamehameha Waves.  
  
"I've never seen anything like it," Videl whispers in shock, "absolutely nothing."  
  
"Neither have I," Eighteen says, "I knew the Saiyans were capable of great power, but I never imagined anything like this."  
  
"Who will win this?" Pegaro asks in awe.  
  
"I don't know," Piccolo mutters, "but Goku is holding back. Gohan isn't as strong as he was when he fought Cell. Goku is showing more power than Gohan had then but he is holding back to make this fight interesting."  
  
"I sense that Gohan has more power within, but he just doesn't know how to call it forth," Jesse says, "he may not even be aware that it is there. Supreme Kai, can you sense it?"  
  
"I think he has the Mystic Power," Shin says in shock.  
  
"No, it is similar but different," Jesse says, "this power seems to focus around pure rage. Rage incarnate is what he would be if he summoned it."  
  
"That is the power he called forth to defeat Cell seven years ago," Piccolo says, "it draws from his anger and rage. I bet you could only sense it because he summoned it forth earlier today to defeat Spopovitch."  
  
"Is that what happened?" Videl asks in a whisper.  
  
"It would seem so," Jesse says, "from what I can tell of his power when compared to Goku's, he's barely at the level of an Ascendant Saiyan."  
  
"Its true," Vegeta snarls, "somehow he gained back all the power he lost in seven years and got even stronger just by training with his brother. There is something about Kakarott's bloodline that makes them gain strength more than any other Saiyan bloodline. Even my own."  
  
"My Prince, surely this can't be!" Zarvon exclaims, "surely no other Saiyan bloodline has as much power as the Royal Bloodline!"  
  
"But it is so," Vegeta growls, "Kakarott's own father gained so much power over his battles that his strength surpassed even what I had when I came to this wretched planet eleven years ago."  
  
"You're power level was at 24,000 when you arrived on Earth," Krillin remarks, "Bulma had Raditz's scouter and told us what she saw. Before it exploded, it said that Goku's power was above your own but not by much."  
  
"It wasn't much, but it was greater than my own," Vegeta growls, "I had to use a technique Kakarott's own father invented to defeat him and then his brat and cue ball here came and saved him."  
  
"What technique was that?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"To create a power ball of artificial full moonlight so I could transform," Vegeta replies, "some weakling with a sword eventually cut off my tail. I still would have won if not for the brat regaining his tail and looking at the power ball I had created."  
  
"He created a type of energy that simulated full moonlight?" Zarvon says, astounded. He hadn't known such a thing was even possible.  
  
"Yes, it was a great technique, but it is too dangerous now," Vegeta replies, "and now it is useless. My brat and both of Kakarott's brats do not have their tails, and neither do I. You are the only Saiyan left who still has his tail Zarvon."  
  
"How do you live without your tail?" Zarvon demands, "the shame alone should kill you."  
  
"Zarvon, I have had my pride walked on and obliterated so many times before I came to Earth that it no longer mattered," Vegeta replies, his voice dangerous, "the only disgrace that I am now able to do anything about is gaining my rightful place as the strongest being in the universe. It seems that that goal is not too far away. I am almost as strong as Gohan is now. More training and I will finally gain my rightful place as the strongest in the universe."  
  
"You were the strongest for a time Vegeta," Piccolo says softly, "after you exited the Hyperbolic Time Chamber with Mirai Trunks, you may very well have been the strongest in the universe. Cell was no match for you at that time. Only Mirai Trunks could have possibly been stronger. And your superior battle experience would have made you the victor in a fight with him."  
  
"But Mirai Trunks' power surpassed Vegeta's," Krillin says, "we all felt it. Its just that trying to Ascend like you did at that time decreased your speed way too much to be a challenge to Cell."  
  
"Mirai Trunks actually had Cell's full power beat for a time," Piccolo says, "until Cell realized how much speed he lost in the process."  
  
Goku and Gohan were both struggling with their Kamehameha Waves. Their power levels were the highest the universe had seen since Gohan and Cell did battle.  
  
Finally, the two warriors break off their Kamehameha Waves. Both of them were panting heavily.  
  
The announcer was ecstatic. "Wow, both Gohan and Goku use the legendary Kamehameha Wave on each other, but their attacks counter one anothers perfectly. We are in the presence of truly great martial artists today."  
  
"He's right you know," Goku says, panting, "you're regaining your battle sense quickly. After seeing how much you had slipped over the years I didn't expect such a contest from you, especially since I am a lot stronger than you."  
  
"Thanks dad," Gohan pants, "your just as good as ever, if not better."  
  
"Well, I have been measuring myself up against the greatest fighters the universe has ever seen," Goku says, "Pikkon, Olibu, and many other fighters. A lot of them Frieza wouldn't have even bee a challenge to. Pikkon beat Cell with one punch. Olibu is the strongest human who has ever lived with maybe the exception of your friend Jesse."  
  
"He beat Cell with one punch?" Gohan gasps.  
  
"Pikkon used one of his special techniques," Goku explains, "he has these techniques that cause his power level to skyrocket. One of them he nearly finished me with in the Otherworld Tournament, only I had seen it enough times to figure out the weakness in it."  
  
"Dad, shall we continue?" Gohan asks, readying himself in a battle stance.  
  
Wordlessly, Goku dashes at Gohan and launches himself into a flurry of punches and kicks. Gohan uses every reflex in his body to block each strike, but try as he might he couldn't manage a counterattack.  
  
'He knows me too well,' Gohan thinks, 'he knows my style as well as I do and knows all of its weaknesses. To beat him, I'm gonna have to do something unexpected.'  
  
Goku continues his assault on Gohan, never letting up. Chops, punches, kicks, jabs, and uppercuts are all used, but not a single one lands.  
  
Without warning, Gohan backflips, kicking his dad in the chin with both feet as he flips backwards. The blow knocks Goku back several feet.  
  
Gohan uses the momentary break to launch his own attack. Punches and kicks fly at Goku, who gets pummeled until he can mount a defense.  
  
But it was too little too late. Goku punches Gohan hard in the gut during an opening in his attack and follows it with a punch to the head. He then grabs Gohan's right arm and throws him over in a classic judo toss. Gohan lands on the edge of the ring. Goku fires a quick ki blast, which Gohan leaps into the air to avoid. But Goku had prepared exactly for this. He leaps into the air and kicks Gohan hard in the gut then hits him with a double axe handle blow to the back that knocks Gohan to the ground outside of the ring. The force of the impact creates a small crater.  
  
"And Gohan is out of the ring!" the announcer cries out, "Goku has won the 25th Tenkaichi Budoukai. He is the first two time champion in history!"  
  
Goku lands back on the ground so the announcer could raise his hand in victory.  
  
"Wow, that was incredible," Videl says, "I could barely see most of the match but it had to be incredible."  
  
"That was definitely the best match I have ever seen," Krillin says, "I've never seen Goku fight like that!"  
  
"It was a good match," Vegeta says, "but it would have been a lot more interesting if it had been me fighting Gohan. Kakarott is a lot stronger than his brat. I'm closer to the boy's strength than his father is."  
  
"Vegeta, did you just admit that Goku is stronger than you?" Krillin snickers.  
  
"I've never had a problem admitting that he is stronger than me," Vegeta snarls, "it has taken me seven long years, but I am now almost as strong as Gohan. The sad thing is is that the brat isn't as strong as he was when he fought Cell."  
  
"But he's still stronger than you?" Jesse chuckles.  
  
"Watch it boy," Vegeta growls.  
  
"Jesse, there is something I must ask you," Shin says.  
  
"What is it Shin?" Jesse asks.  
  
"Show some respect!" Kabito demands, "you are talking to the Supreme Kai. Address him by his proper title!"  
  
"I've never been one for formalities," Jesse retorts, "now, at the present time I would rather not find out which of us is stronger so lets slide by for now. Now, what is it that you wish to ask me Shin?"  
  
"I was wondering about what you said earlier," Shin says, "you said that you know the location of Babidi's base. Is this true?"  
  
"Kinda," Jesse replies, scratching the back of his head, "I can sense where Dabura is. Chances are Babidi is keeping him close by to protect him until Majin Buu is released."  
  
"And if Dabura is at a different location from Babidi?" Shin asks.  
  
Jesse smirks. "Then he'll definitely know where the pesky little wizard is. We can make him tell us the easy way or the hard way. Personally, I'm hoping for the hard way."  
  
"What is the easy way and the hard way?" Zarvon asks.  
  
Jesse gives Zarvon a 'Are you stupid or something?' look. "The easy way is us asking him and him telling us with no problems. The hard way is forcing it out of him, whether it is by tearing his limbs off one by one or sticking white hot needles into his spine in the spaces between his vertebrae." Videl shudders.  
  
"How can you be so brutal?" she demands.  
  
"Dabura is pure darkness," Jesse replies, "he is just as bad as Majin Buu, only he is likely not as strong. But he is just as dangerous, if not more so. His spit has the power to turn you into stone unless you are protected. Only Shin, Kabito, and myself are protected, though since Goku is dead he might be safe as well."  
  
"His spit?" Krillin asks skeptically.  
  
"Yes, his spit," Jesse replies, "no one here can hope to match him in both battle experience and power. Actually, no one here can match him in battle experience. But that doesn't matter. Experience can only go so far. Its his combination of experience and power that is dangerous."  
  
"Is he really all that?" Vegeta snorts, "not likely. Why haven't I heard of him?"  
  
Jesse glares at Vegeta. "Because, vegetable head, he lives on another plane of existence."  
  
Vegeta brags Jesse by the neck and snarls ferally. "What did you say?"  
  
Jesse looks deep into Vegeta's eyes. A small spark of light appears within his eyes. "Let me go." His voice was calm and rational.  
  
Surprisingly, Vegeta obeys, almost mechanically. The moment he lets go of Jesse, he shakes his head as if shaking off something.  
  
"What just happened?" he asks, confused.  
  
"I used some minor hypnotic suggestion on you," Jesse replies, "I really don't like doing it, but you would have squeezed my head off. And I called you vegetable head. Touch me again and you'll be numb for weeks."  
  
"Oh really?" Vegeta asks haughtily, "you said it yourself. You've not as strong as I am."  
  
"I could give you a run for your money," Jesse says confidently, "but that matters not. We can now go to Babidi's ship and get that little punk and hopefully take him out before he can release Buu. Then taking care of Dabura will be a piece of cake."  
  
"Chocolate or strawberry?" Gohan jokes.  
  
"Very funny," Jesse says, "now, who's with me and the Supreme Kai and Kabito?"  
  
"I'm in," Goku says with a Saiyan battle grin on his face, "sounds like fun."  
  
"I'm in too," Gohan says, a Saiyan battle grin on his face.  
  
"I'm in if Kakarott is in," Vegeta says.  
  
"I'm in," Piccolo says, "I used to be this planets Guardian and I still try to protect it when I am able to."  
  
"I go where my Prince goes," Zarvon says adamantly.  
  
"What about you Pegaro?" Gohan asks, "or you Videl. Krillin? Eighteen?"  
  
"I'm not interested in fighting if its not for money," Eighteen comments, "I'm leaving. Krillin, you can go. But don't you dare die."  
  
"Aw, you know me babe," Krillin jokes, "you know I take care of myself."  
  
"And you've died, what, twice?" Eighteen asks.  
  
"Point made," Krillin chuckles grimly, "but with all these strong guys here I may not even be needed."  
  
"You still take care of yourself," Eighteen says, walking over to Krillin and planting a small kiss on his cheek, "you don't want to leave Marron and me living alone with Roshi, do you?"  
  
The thought of his wife and daughter living alone with his old Master turned Krillin's face white as chalk until he remembered that Eighteen could kick Roshi's ass three ways to Sunday.  
  
"You got it babe," Krillin chuckles.  
  
"What about you Videl?" Gohan asks.  
  
"Sure, I'm in," Videl says, "it sounds interesting."  
  
"And you Pegaro?" Zarvon asks, turning to the last member of the group.  
  
"I'm afraid I'm nowhere near the level of a fighter that you need," Pegaro says glumly, "and I can't even fly. Besides, someone needs to explain this to your families."  
  
Vegeta snorts. "If you can't fly, then you are of no use to us boy. Your not even strong enough to fly anyway."  
  
"He's right you know," Gohan says sullenly, "you really can't help that much Pegaro. You can't help that much either Videl. You may be able to fly, but your not that strong. Chances are you wouldn't be able to take on the weakest of Babidi's henchmen from what the Supreme Kai is saying."  
  
"Maybe so, Gohan, but I'm still going," Videl says adamantly.  
  
Gohan sighs. "If you insist."  
  
"Then let us go," Supreme Kai says and takes off. The Z Warriors plus friends take off after him.  
  
"Well, I guess I'd better go and tell their family whats going on," Pegaro says. But he was wondering why he felt like a man walking to his death.  
  
Little did the Z Warriors know that Goten and Trunks had been listening.  
  
"So what do you say, Goten?" Trunks asks, "wanna follow them and see this monster?"  
  
"Sure!" Goten agrees, "lets go!"  
  
"Better not go as Super Saiyans though," Trunks says, "they'll pick us up instantly."  
  
"So we go as normal Saiyans," Goten agrees.  
  
The two take off, following the others at a safe distance.  
  
  
  
There goes Chapter Seven. What do you think of the Finals? Pretty cool, huh? 


	9. Chapter Eight: Dabura Revealed

Okay, I have a few things to straighten out. First off, Piccolo did not, of course, fight in a previous tournament under the name Majunior. But the announcer guy was just telling everyone the name he was fighting under. Right now I cannot remember any of your other questions, but they will be addressed. Now, on with this chapter. I must say this chapter is quite possibly my favorite. I loved to write it. It may be a while before the next chapter is posted though, since this is the last already-written chapter I have. So it may be a few days before the next chapter. If not, it will likely be a few days for the chapter after that. It all depends on when each chapter is finished.  
  
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters portrayed in this fic except for Jesse and Zarvon. That's it at the moment. Other original or maybe semi- original characters may pop up.  
  
~~  
  
~In an unknown location~  
  
"Dabura, what is taking Spopovitch and Yamu so long?" Babidi demands.  
  
"I do not know, master," Dabura says, "they should be here any time now."  
  
"Yes yes, but I'm getting impatient," Bibidi grumbles, "they had better hurry up!"  
  
  
  
"Jesse, how much farther is it to Babidi's spaceship?" the Supreme Kai asks.  
  
"Oh, not too far," Jesse says, "though if we go a bit slower Goten and Trunks can catch up with us."  
  
"What?" Gohan and Vegeta demand simultaneously.  
  
"Didn't you feel their ki signatures?" Jesse asks, "they've been following us. Guess they overheard us talking about Buu."  
  
"This battle will be no place for children," Kabito says sternly.  
  
"Oh, give them a break," Jesse chuckles, "they've grown up on stories of their fathers fighting evil beings from outer space and galactic tyrants. They want to see what this is for themselves."  
  
"I doubt they'll like it," Gohan says grimly.  
  
"Probably not," Jesse agrees, "but they are fairly strong. They could be useful for fighting some of the henchmen while the rest of you take care of Babidi's greater henchmen and I take care of Dabura. And I thought I told you, Shin, that I am only sensing Dabura, not Babidi or his spaceship. If I knew what his energy signature felt like precisely, then I could pick it out. As it is, I cannot when I am in the presence of such strong fighters. Their strength is practically overwhelming my senses."  
  
"Are we really that strong?" Gohan asks.  
  
"Well, a good half of you are stronger than I am physically," Jesse says, "Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, and Piccolo are all physically stronger than I am. Goku and Gohan would wipe the floor with me and I could be a major pain in the rump to Vegeta if I tried my hardest and gave it my absolute all. Piccolo and I are about the same strength, though he is a bit stronger at the least. At the most, he could tear me up even more than Goku and Gohan."  
  
"How can that be?" Piccolo demands.  
  
"I sense two great goodness within you," Jesse says, "one has the aura of a planet's Guardian. The other has an aura unlike anything I have ever felt, though in spirit I sense a kinship with it."  
  
"You must sense Kami and Nail within me," Piccolo says, "I am a Namek and Namek's have the ability to merge into stronger warrior's. I was once one being, but to take up the mantle of Guardian of the Earth I split into two beings: the benevolent Kami and Piccolo Daimou, my sire. When Goku defeated Piccolo Daimou, he put all of his essence into me so that he would live on in me. But I was still a new being, a new Namek. And Namek's are not inherently evil. Gohan brought out the good in me. When we went to Namek, I fused with a Namekian warrior named Nail to increase my power to fight the evil Frieza."  
  
"Wow, that's incredible," Videl says.  
  
"It doesn't end there," Piccolo says, "ten years ago, Vegeta's son from the future arrived, warning us of two evil androids. We trained for three years to prepare for them. But when they did arrive, they were far more than we could handle. I fused with Kami, reuniting my full power and making me the strongest being in the universe. And then Cell showed up and ruined everything."  
  
"Very interesting," Jesse says, "with three separate spirits, you have great potential. And maybe even something greater."  
  
"Something greater?" Piccolo asks.  
  
"Nevermind for now, we're there," Jesse says.  
  
Below them was an area of disturbed land.  
  
"Hey, it looks like the ground was recently moved," Goku remarks.  
  
"Of course!" Kabito cries out, "it's so obvious now! They hid their spaceship below the ground! That's why the Supreme Kai and I could not find them!"  
  
"They are far more clever than I thought," Jesse muses, "it is too bad that the two of you cannot sense power levels like the Z Warriors can. Though in this case it is a good thing."  
  
"What makes you say that?" Supreme Kai asks.  
  
"If you could, then you would have come here without seeking allies," Jesse says, "and then you would have been overwhelmed by Dabura. As things stand, you would have had no chance against most of the beings Babidi has under his control. You are gonna have to rely on these fighters of Earth."  
  
"Wait, why are you helping us?" Krillin asks.  
  
"My enemy, the one who sealed me in Limbo for millennia, is here," Jesse says in a low growl, "Dabura will pay. The rest of you can deal with Majin Buu and Babidi. I will take care of Dabura long enough so he can't bother you. I don't know if I can beat him, but I am gonna try."  
  
"That's suicide!" Supreme Kai declares.  
  
"Maybe," Jesse says, "but my special ability, growing stronger when faced with the dark evils, will be at its strongest when facing Dabura, the King of Demons. I just may stand a chance. I know I can hold him off long enough for the rest of you to deal with Babidi and any forces he can array against you."  
  
"How are you gonna find him?" Supreme Kai asks.  
  
"Like this," Jesse says, raising his right hand and pointing it palm out and aiming it at the small building that was jutting out of the ground.  
  
"Hyah!" Jesse yells, forcing pure power through his hand and into the space ground. The upturned dirt flies into the sky, slowly revealing the space ship. The dirt is spread out throughout the area, giving everything a fine layer of dirt and rubble.  
  
"What are you thinking?" Vegeta yells, "you are alerting them to our presence!"  
  
"On the contrary," Jesse replies through grit teeth, "I am masking your power with my own. They will think I am alone, or at the least in the company of weaklings. Dabura will recognize my power and rush to face me."  
  
"Dabura, whats going on?" Babidi demands.  
  
"A powerful warrior is outside the ship," Dabura replies, a distant look in his eyes, "and I know this form of energy. Can it be?"  
  
Dabura stares off into nothingness. A wicked grin forms around his chin.  
  
"It is nothing, master Babidi," Dabura says, "allow me to go and dispose of this. It is some- unfinished business that I should have taken care of long ago."  
  
"Very well, but don't take too long," Babidi says crossly.  
  
Dabura turns and walks out.  
  
"Now, the lot of you go and get on the other side of the door," Jesse says, "mask your ki signatures as best you can. Try to blend in with the background. Dabura will be out shortly."  
  
The fighters move quickly to do as Jesse suggests, Vegeta glaring daggers at Jesse.  
  
Goten and Trunks arrive just as the other fighters get into place.  
  
"Took you two long enough," Jesse remarks as he stares intently at the spaceship, "go and hide or you'll ruin everything. Try to make your ki blend in with the background."  
  
"Are you sure you don't want help?" Trunks asks.  
  
"This is my fight," Jesse says, "they will need your help with the rest of Babidi's henchmen."  
  
"I think I understand," Trunks says, "come on Goten. We don't want to get in his way."  
  
Trunks and Goten hurry for a patch of rocks to hide their presence. They get behind the rocks just as Dabura steps out of the ship.  
  
"So you finally arrive, King of Demons," Jesse yells.  
  
"So, you escaped from Limbo, boy," Dabura laughs, "I had actually hoped to fight you again one day."  
  
"A day hasn't passed that I didn't think about fighting you once again," Jesse says, "you haven't changed much."  
  
"Neither have you," Dabura says, "sword!"  
  
A long, wickedly curved blade appears in Dabura's right hand.  
  
"Still wield that old relic?" Jesse asks scornfully, "sword!"  
  
A narrow-bladed, double-edged sword appears in Jesse's right hand. Its silver blade gleams in the sunlight.  
  
"Still wielding that old hunk of scrap?" Dabura asks scornfully.  
  
"This is a new sword," Jesse says as if speaking to a child, "it is more than capable of standing up to your sword."  
  
"We shall see, boy," Dabura says as he crouches into a fighting stance.  
  
"Whats with these guys?" Trunks asks from behind the outcropping of rock that he and Goten are hiding behind, "don't they know that only sissies use weapons? Real fighters use their fists to fight, now fancy weapons."  
  
"I don't know Trunks," Goten says, "my brother used to use a sword and he's no sissy."  
  
"Hey, be quiet!" Trunks says, "I think their about to start fighting."  
  
Dabura leaps into the air and brings his blade crashing down on Jesse, only to have it blocked by a solid block. Jesse pushes forth and knocks Dabura enough to send him off balance and then flips back.  
  
Rapidly charging energy in the index and middle fingers of his left hand, Jesse swipes at Dabura launching sharp-edged energy at the Demon King.  
  
Dabura smashes his left fist into the attack and knocks it away. A small trickle of purple blood rolls down his fist and drips to the ground.  
  
"Not bad," Dabura chuckles evilly, "you have learned a few new moves since we last fought."  
  
"It has been several thousand years, after all," Jesse replies, "it would be time spent poorly if I didn't try to learn some new moves. And I learned several. Before, my best attack was the Silver Beam, and it still may be my most powerful move. But I now have a much larger repertoire of techniques to annihilate you with."  
  
"We shall see," Dabura says as he takes in a deep breath.  
  
Jesse quickly glances at the other fighters. He sends a telepathic message to the Supreme Kai. 'What are you thinking? Get going? I can't hold Dabura off forever and he's the only one you have to worry about unless Babidi manages to release Majin Buu.'  
  
"Come on, lets move," Supreme Kai whispers, "Jesse will hold Dabura off. This is his fight, after all."  
  
"I hope he knows what he's doing," Gohan says as he heads inside the ship.  
  
"So do I," Supreme Kai mutters.  
  
Jesse half turns and holds his left hand out in a 90 degree position to the rest of his body. He forms a claw-like shape with his hand. Lightning bolts arc around his body and hand as blue-white energy gathers in the claw.  
  
"Guu Mahouteki!" Jesse yells, brows furrowing as he launches his best attack.  
  
Dabura leans forward and spits out a powerful blast of demonic fire. The two attacks collide, the blue-white energy of Jesse's Guu Mahouteki battling with the purplish-red flames of Dabura's demon fire. Finally, the two attacks dissipate and the two fighters stare each other down.  
  
"Not bad," Dabura chuckles, "not bad at all. You've managed to put more power in that technique. I remember last time I tore right through it."  
  
"Why don't you see if you can take it yourself?" Jesse growls, "I guarantee you won't survive it."  
  
"I'm sure," Dabura chuckles, "why don't you try again? Maybe I'll let you use it on me."  
  
"I'd rather cut off your head and drop it in a lava pit," Jesse snarls viciously.  
  
"And I thought I was supposed to be the evil one," Dabura chuckles evilly, "what say you we settle this with our fists?"  
  
"I'm not stupid enough to fall for that!" Jesse, "we both know I can't possibly beat you hand to hand, but I do stand a chance sword to sword."  
  
"Very well," Dabura says, "spear!"  
  
A spear materializes in Dabura's left hand and he throws it at Jesse. Jesse blocks the spear with his sword, but Dabura is on him in a heartbeat. Dabura backhands Jesse and then knees him in the gut.  
  
Goten and Trunks watch in amazement. Neither of their dads were helping this guy out. But they knew they wouldn't be able to help this guy either. He was stronger than either of them.  
  
"Trunks, we gotta help him!" Goten protests.  
  
"You heard what he told everyone else," Trunks says, "this is his fight. He wouldn't like it if we interfered. Let's go and try to find your brother and our dads."  
  
"You got it Trunks!" Goten says cheerily.  
  
The two young half-Saiyans sneak over to the entrance to the spaceship and go down the path that the others had gone down.  
  
When they reach the top floor, the sight they see is incredible. Vegeta was pounding a strange-looking alien into oblivion while everyone else watched.  
  
"Go dad!" Trunks cheers.  
  
Goku and Gohan turn to look at the two boys.  
  
"Well, it sure took you long enough," Gohan chuckles, "what kept you?"  
  
"We watched your friend fight that scary red guy," Trunks says.  
  
"Yeah, and he's getting beat really bad," Goten says.  
  
"I don't think he's gonna last much longer," Goten says.  
  
"There is nothing we can do," the Supreme Kai says sadly, "he chose to distract Dabura. We can't spare anyone who could be strong enough to help him to distract Dabura."  
  
"I'd like to help, but I think Jesse is stronger than I am," Zarvon says, "there's no way I would be of much help to him."  
  
"You would be able to help him a bit if you could transform into a Super Saiyan," Gohan says, "its too bad that you can't."  
  
"What does it take to become a Super Saiyan?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Extreme rage," Goku answers, "that's what it took for me to transform."  
  
"What could cause such an easygoing guy like yourself to have such rage?" Videl asks.  
  
"Krillin's death," Goku replies bluntly.  
  
"Yeah, Frieza really did a number on me," Krillin says, "he nearly killed me twice and then he finally did kill me."  
  
"That had to hurt," Zarvon says after Vegeta puts his fist all the way through the alien's stomach.  
  
"Yeah, dying does hurt," Krillin says.  
  
"And it looks like that guy is about to find out first-hand what death is like," Zarvon says flatly.  
  
Vegeta calmly walks away from the corpse of the alien he had been fighting.  
  
"Correction, he just found out," Vegeta smirks.  
  
  
  
Outside, Jesse ducks another of Dabura's punches and performs a leg sweep. Dabura just leaps into the air and comes down, driving Jesse's head into the ground with his feet.  
  
"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" Dabura asks, "well, I shall make your end quick and painless. Not many of my enemies actually come back to fight me. I rarely let them live."  
  
"I'll send you to Gehenna," Jesse snarls as he gets back to his feet, "you'll rot there for all eternity."  
  
"You are in no position to threaten me," Dabura says, "and when I am done with you, I will go and finish off those friends of yours who are in the spaceship."  
  
Jesse stares at Dabura in shock.  
  
Dabura grins. Not a pretty sight. "Surprised? I could sense them, even though you tried to hide their energy signals. Those two children will not be a threat to Babidi's plans to resurrect Majin Buu. Nor will they hamper my plans to become one with him once he is awakened."  
  
Jesse barely manages to hide his relief. Dabura had only sensed Goten and Trunks, not the others.  
  
"Dabura!" Babi's voice rings inside of Dabura's mind.  
  
"What is it, Master Babidi?" Dabura replies telepathically.  
  
"There are intruders," Babidi replies, "come and deal with them. They have destroyed Pui Pui."  
  
"How could two children destroy Pui Pui?" Dabura asks mentally.  
  
"Two children?" Babidi asks, "there are at least seven fighters here, including the Supreme Kai and Kabito."  
  
"What?" Dabura demands telepathically, "he must have masked their own power with his. This has all been a trick. Master, send Yakkon to deal with these others. They may be dangerous, but the most dangerous of all our enemies is who I am fighting."  
  
"Dabura, we should let Yakkon deal with the pest you are fighting," Babidi says, "I measured this one fighters power at 300 kili's."  
  
"600?" Dabura asks, "then let Yakkon deal with them. He has 800 kili's of power."  
  
"But what if they are all that strong?" Babidi asks, "he will be overwhelmed."  
  
"He can hold them down long enough for me to take care of them," Dabura reassures Babidi, "but this is an old grudge that I must deal with. This fighter is strong, but he is surely the best they have. Once I deal with him, the others will fall easily."  
  
"Very well," Babidi says, "I will send them to Yakkon's home planet to give him an extra boost. But deal with this best fast! I have no tolerance for insolence."  
  
With that, Babidi closes the mental link.  
  
"Finish your talk with Babidi?" Jesse asks smugly. Dabura looks at him in surprise.  
  
"I have telepathic powers of my own," Jesse says smugly, "I listened in on the whole conversation. And 600 kili's is nothing compared to what three of those fighters are capable of. Three of them are your equal in power, at the least. One of them may even surpass you in strength without even trying."  
  
"Preposterous!" Dabura says, "no human can match my power."  
  
"You're right," Jesse says, "out of every human to ever live, only myself and Olibu even approach your level of strength. But these three are not humans. They are Saiyans."  
  
"Saiyans?" Dabura spits on the ground, "they are nothing to me."  
  
"But a legendary Super Saiyan is," Jesse says with a smug grin.  
  
"Yes, the Super Saiyans could match me in power," Dabura admits, "but no Saiyan in three thousand years has been able to reach that pinnacle of power."  
  
"These three have," Jesse says, "in fact, they have all reached beyond the level of Super Saiyan. And those two boys you detected entering the ship can become Super Saiyans as well, only they can't reach the next level."  
  
"You lie!" Dabura growls, outraged.  
  
"Dabura, I'm a paladin," Jesse says seriously, "it's all but impossible for me to lie except when its necessary. It is not necessary here. Besides, why would I lie?"  
  
"If those three truly are Super Saiyans, then Yakkon does not stand a chance," Dabura says.  
  
"And what's more is that another one of the people there is a Saiyan, but he has not reached Super Saiyan yet," Jesse says, "face it, Dabura. Between the beating I'm about to give you and the power of those three Super Saiyans, you are finally gonna taste defeat."  
  
"I will never be defeated!" Dabura yells, "I am more powerful than you, I am more powerful than these Super Saiyans, I am even more powerful than this Majin Buu that Babidi is so hyped up about! I am Dabura! I am the Demon King! I am invincible!"  
  
Jesse stands up, with his fists at his side. Energy gathers around him. His hair begins to stand up. His eyes glow with power.  
  
Jesse lets out a feral yell as he summons power from the very ground beneath him. "Geyser of Power!"  
  
His hair turns snow white and his eyes continue to glow a blazing white. Energy sparks around him.  
  
He leaps forth and punches Dabura in the jaw, then follows with a snap kick, the tip of his foot becoming equal in elevation with his forehead.  
  
In the spaceship, those who could sense energy turn their heads up at the ceiling.  
  
"Goku, do you sense that?" the Supreme Kai asks.  
  
"Who or what is that?" Trunks asks.  
  
"Whats going on? Videla sks.  
  
"One of the two powers fighting on the surface just increased exponentially," Vegeta explains, "almost as much as a Super Saiyan transformation would bring."  
  
"It was the weaker power, so it must have been Jesse," Gohan says, "but how did he increase his power by so much?"  
  
"There are techniques that increase a person's power, son," Goku says, "one of them is a Kaioh Ken Attack. But even the Super Kaioh Ken Attack wouldn't boost Jesse's power by that amount."  
  
"He has been around a while," Zarvon says, "perhaps he knows many techniques that no one else knows."  
  
"It felt as if he drew that surge of power from the very ground beneath him," Piccolo says, "that would have been like focusing the Spirit Bomb into an aura to increase your power."  
  
"Against someone like Dabura, such a move would be devastating," Goku says, "maybe we were wrong to be worried about Jesse."  
  
The door in front of them opens. Out steps what could only be described as a giant monster. The scene around them begins to shift quickly and they are enveloped in darkness.  
  
"We have been taken to this monster's home planet," the Supreme Kai says.  
  
"Supreme Kai, do you know who that thing is?" Goku asks, "after all, I'm the one who has to fight him."  
  
"His name is Yakkon, and he was born on the Dark Planet," the Supreme Kai begins, "the Dark Planet is so far from any source of light that it has never known light. Yakkon was born here, so he can see in the complete darkness."  
  
"Yes, I can see here," Yakkon rumbles, "now, which of you am I going to eat first?"  
  
"I'll fight you first," Goku says, stepping up. The two combatants enter the fray viciously.  
  
Jesse hits Dabura in the gut with an uppercut, then follows it with a spinning backhand to the face that sends Dabura crashing into a mountain.  
  
"Had. enough?" Jesse pants. Holding up this increase of power was hard. Especially so since he couldn't keep in steady contact with the ground beneath him.  
  
"You will never defeat me!" Dabura roars.  
  
"Ki No Tsurugi!" Jesse yells, forming a blade of energy that extends from his hands. He leaps at Dabura, hacking and slashing with the energy blades.  
  
Dabura dodges the onslaught, but just barely. Every now and then one of the blades would leave a thin line of purple blood forming on the edge of his skin.  
  
Dabura takes a breath and spits his stone-transformation spit onto Jesse. The spit hits him square in the face, but he doesn't start to turn to stone. But it is nasty and wet and Jesse has to take a moment to wipe it off his face. Dabura takes this chance to go on the offensive. He slams his right knee into Jesse's gut, then hits him with a double axe handle to the back of the head while he was doubled over.  
  
He then grabs Jesse by the next, swings him around a moment, then drives him face first into the ground. The Geyser of Power transformation fades away as Jesse slips into unconsciousness. Dabura picks up the battered and bloodied body of his defeated opponent and slings it over his shoulder. He walks to the spaceship, carrying his burden. He had to stop these intruders from disrupting Babidi's resurrection of Majin Buu, after all.  
  
Goku sends a burst of energy into Yakkon's open mouth. The already engorged Yakkon explodes as the energy proves to be too much for him.  
  
Goku powers down as Babidi brings them back to his spaceship.  
  
"Well, that was interesting," Goku says cheerily. The Supreme Kai just stares at Goku in awe.  
  
'How can mere mortals possess such power?' he thinks to himself, 'how is it possible?'  
  
The group heads down the passage that opens for them.  
  
"Hey Gohan, you're up next," Goku says, "wonder who you're gonna fight?"  
  
"Or what?" Gohan says with a smile on his face.  
  
"I will be your next opponent," Dabura says as he steps out of the door, holding Jesse in his right arm, "I just hope you are as strong as this one says you are."  
  
He holds up Jesse by the neck. Videl gasps at how battered he is.  
  
"Here, take your friend," Dabura says. He throws Jesse hard to the floor at Gohan's feet. Gohan glares at Dabura in anger.  
  
"Is he alive?" Videl asks as Kabito checks on Jesse.  
  
"He is still alive," Kabito says, "I will heal him."  
  
Light pours from Kabito's right hand as he heals Jesse's wounds.  
  
"Shall we fight, boy?" Dabura says mockingly towards Gohan.  
  
"We shall," Gohan says, dropping into a fighting stance.  
  
"Wait," Dabura syas, "master Babidi, send us to a planet like this one so we can fight at our fullest."  
  
Babidi does so, sending them to a watery area on another planet.  
  
"Now we can fight without risking disturbing Majin Buu," Dabura says. He launches himself at Gohan, who Ascends to Super Saiyan 2 and leaps into the air.  
  
The two warriors exchange blows all across the sky.  
  
"Their strength is incredible," Zarvon says, "I never imagined that beings, even Saiyans, with such power existed."  
  
"Gohan isn't even fighting at his fullest," Vegeta smirks, "and his fighting instinct has gotten sloppy! Even without transforming, he should be giving Dabura a much harder time than he is."  
  
Jesse opens his eyes as Kabito's healing powers finish their work.  
  
"Thank you," he says grimly, "too bad I couldn't hold him off any longer. But I did manage to hurt him a little."  
  
"Boy, how did you manage such an increase in power?" Vegeta demands.  
  
"It is a technique I developed before I was sealed in Limbo called the Geyser of Power," Jesse replies, "I draw strength from the planet beneath me, from its very heart. This gives me strength that, by my estimation, is about as much strength I would receive if I was capable of a transformation like the Super Saiyan. But it takes up a tremendous amount of my own energy to maintain it. But at my level of strength, it is well worth it. The energy I have at my disposal precedes my actual strength."  
  
"Indeed, you do have a lot of energy," Kabito says, "but you have been training for thousands of years, so it is no surprise."  
  
"Do you have any other techniques like that?" Vegeta asks.  
  
"None so effective," Jesse replies, "but none so draining either. I wouldn't have even used it if I didn't need the total upsurge of power. I was actually stronger than Dabura for a while. The greatest weakness of the Geyser of Power is that to maintain perfect synchronization with the planet, you must stay grounded. But since the battle was mostly airborne, it took up too much of my concentration and Dabura was able to get me."  
  
"How did he do that?" Videl asks.  
  
"He spat in my face," Jesse replies, "literally. His spit, unlike most of you, will not turn me to stone. But it was still disgusting and out of reflex I took a moment to wipe it off my face."  
  
"Foolish boy," Vegeta scowls, "you should never take your concentration off your opponent in battle. To do so is to give them the complete advantage."  
  
"Maybe so, but I bought you some time," Jesse replies, "and I somewhat hurt Dabura. To what extent, I am not sure, but it should be enough to give Gohan the advantage."  
  
"And if it wasn't?" Videl demands.  
  
"Then we may be attending his funeral if he is performing at his best right now," Jesse says grimly.  
  
Dabura had summoned his sword and was slashing away at Gohan, who was narrowly dodging the blade.  
  
"Does he know how to use a sword?" Jesse asks.  
  
"Who, Gohan?" Goku asks, "I don't think so."  
  
"He knows," Piccolo says, "when I dropped him in the wilderness for his survival training, I gave him a sword to protect himself with. A few days later and he was having dinosaur tail steaks whenever he wanted."  
  
"That's all I needed to know," Jesse says. In a small shimmer, a sword very much like the one Gohan had once used to wield appears in Jesse's right hand.  
  
"Gohan, catch!" Jesse yells, throwing the sword to Gohan.  
  
Gohan catches the sword by the handle just in time to parry a downslice from Dabura.  
  
"Now we're on an even playing field," Gohan chuckles before going on the offensive.  
  
"I must say I am impressed," Jesse says, "not many martial artists at the levels you guys have obtained know how to use a weapon. And normally when you do you use a staff or a weapon like that."  
  
"I use to use the Power Pole that I got from my grandpa," Goku says, "it could extend to any length."  
  
"You mean that old relic is still around?" Jesse asks, stunned, "why, I remember when Olibu made that thing. He used it until he fell in battle with Dabura."  
  
"Olibu made it?" Goku asks, "amazing. I never knew it was that old."  
  
"Oh, it's old alright," Jesse says with a grin, "and it is unbreakable. I doubt even you could break it. I don't think anyone, no matter how strong they are, could break it."  
  
"As amazing as this story is, your brat is losing Kakarott," Vegeta says lowly.  
  
Indeed, Dabura's superior skill with a sword was beginning to outmatch Gohan's strength.  
  
"This is not good," Jesse murmurs, "Dabura just has too much experience for Gohan to counter. He knows possibly every dirty trick to ever soil a fight. He knows at least thirty different ways to execute a low blow. He knows every pressure point in the bodies of almost every sentient species in the universe. If he gets a solid hit in, he could paralyze Gohan permanently."  
  
Gohan takes a vicious backhand to the face that knocks him against the sides of the spaceship.  
  
"Guess there's only one shot at this," Jesse mutters as he focuses energy into his hands, "Nature, give me strength. To protect the forest and streams. The animals in the wild. People everywhere who cannot protect themselves. Give me strength for them."  
  
Energy gathers around Jesse in the form of shimmering white light.  
  
"Amazing," Goku gasps, "he knows the Spirit Bomb."  
  
"How can a mere mortal hold all of the power of the Spirit Bomb?" Kabito demands.  
  
Jesse yells, throwing his right hand out and a beam of blinding white light shoots out of his hand. "Spirit Blast!"  
  
The blast of pure white energy hits Dabura in the back, searing off his skin.  
  
"That's not the Spirit Bomb," Jesse says nonchalantly, "but it is a technique derived from it. Still, its not healthy for me to use such an attack without fully powering it up. If I hadn't let it loose when I did, it would have destroyed me. And I only just thought up that move."  
  
"How did you know how to do it then?" Goku asks, "or if it would even work?"  
  
"Dabura would have detected me summoning the energy of a Spirit Bomb," Jesse replies, "but that attack I did use on him will hopefully remind him that I'm here to take him on whether he wins or loses. This should distract him."  
  
But Jesse was wrong. Instead of continuing his fight with Gohan, he charges Jesse.  
  
Jesse, who had not been expecting this, was taken by surprise and run through with Dabura's sword. The blade goes right through Jesse and hits Videl in the side. Dabura picks up Jesse and almost literally tears him off of his sword.  
  
"That'll show you to attack me when my back is turned," Dabura says haughtily. He turns and, with a roar, resumes his fight with Gohan, who was now ticked off seeing a friend hurt just because he was trying to help. Kabito knels beside Jesse Videl, determined to save Jesse's life and heal Videl.  
  
With a yell, Gohan begins to power up to levels even he had never before reached.  
  
"Whats going on?" Vegeta demands.  
  
"I think I know," Goku says, "while training in Otherworld, I've discovered that there is a level beyond that of an Ascendant Super Saiyan. I call it Super Saiyan 3. If I'm not mistaken, Gohan is about to tap into that power now."  
  
"YOU WILL NOT HURT ANY OF MY FRIENDS EVER AGAIN!" Gohan yells as power surges through his veins.  
  
As Gohan roars with power, his hair begins to glow and lengthens to his waist. His eyebrows disappear and the lightning bolts that arced around him from being an Ascendant Super Saiyan increase in size and frequency. His muscles bulge to be half again their previous size. His eyes take on an intensity that can be compared to insanity.  
  
Dabura's eyes narrow as he realizes how much of an increase in power that Gohan has just achieved.  
  
'Such power,' Vegeta thinks angrily, 'he has achieved a level of power before I even knew it existed.'  
  
"He did it," Goku says in awe, "his power has grown stronger than I ever thought it would."  
  
"Kakarott!" Vegeta yells, "you knew about this? For how long?"  
  
"Well, Vegeta, I only achieved this level myself a few years ago," Goku says, "its really draining though. But the boost of power is more than worth it."  
  
"Kabito, is he gonna be alright?" Videl asks, her face pale at the sight of so much blood that was flowing from Jesse's wound and out of her own.  
  
"I do not know," Kabito says, "the blade hit his intestines. Even I have trouble healing such a wound. I do not know if he will live. You're injury, however, will be much easier to heal."  
  
"He'll live," Zarvon says matter-of-factly, "after all, he hasn't lived for so many years just to be killed by such a trifle of a wound."  
  
"You call a sword through the stomach a trifle?" Kabito demands, barely looking up from his healing, "this is a very serious wound."  
  
"Of course its serious, for a human," Zarvon scoffs.  
  
"I'll live," Jesse grumbles as Kabito finishes his healing, "but I'm not gonna be doing much of anything beyond that of a normal, untrained human for a while. That sword Dabura has has some nasty magic's cast on it. I have nothing that can counter the poisonous magic he has cast on that blade."  
  
"So you're gonna be alright?" Videl asks.  
  
"I'd be more worried about Gohan if I were you," Jesse says with a weak smile, "Dabura is quite possibly the most dangerous opponent he has ever faced, even if you take into account the strength of those villains he's faced before. Kabito, heal Videl quickly. She was injured by Dabura's blade and doesn't have the protection against its magic's like I do."  
  
Kabito hurries to heal Videl.  
  
"But Frieza was hundreds, if not thousands of times stronger than Gohan was when they fought," Krillin says.  
  
"And nowhere near as evil as Dabura," Jesse replies, "Frieza was a sadistic bastard, but he liked to toy with his opponents. This led to his downfall. Same with Cell. If Dabura has a chance to kill Gohan, he'll take it."  
  
"Gohan will win," Goku says, "he's never let us down when we really needed him."  
  
"Even though this is supposed to be Gohan's fight, I think we may have to jump in and attack Dabura while he's distracted," the Supreme Kai says.  
  
"I agree with the Supreme Kai," Jesse says, "Gohan still has a lot more potential. More than any of us."  
  
Videl rubs her side after Kabito finishes healing her and repairing her clothes with his power. "So Gohan's reached an even higher level of power?"  
  
"He's reached a pinnacle that I can barely achieve," Goku says, "the energy drain of becoming a Super Saiyan 3 is enormous. If I were to transform, it would cut my time here in the living world short."  
  
"Its that much of a drain?" the Supreme Kai asks, knowing the amount of energy that goes into a person traveling between the barriers between Otherworld and the living world."  
  
"Like you wouldn't believe," Goku says, "and yet Gohan has achieved it. It took a lot of rage, but that seems to be the key to his power."  
  
"I have seen something like it before," Jesse says, "it is a hidden ability called the Rage. Few possess it. The only way to access it is with extreme rage or anger. The angrier you are, the more power it yields. If Gohan had been mad enough, he couldn't have even needed to go Super Saiyan to defeat Cell.That is how much power he would have received from the Rage."  
  
"What is the Rage?" Piccolo asks, "I have never heard of it."  
  
"It's a special ability," Jesse explains, "a warrior possessing it is truly capable of anything in terms of power. In the hands of a righteous heart, it can create a being who is virtually a living weapon against the forces of evil. In the hands of an evil being, it can create a tyrant who is all but invincible."  
  
"I have never heard of such a power," the Supreme Kai says.  
  
"Because so many Kai's died fighting Majin Buu, your education appears to be lacking," Jesse says, "maybe when this is over I can teach you what I know, which is very little."  
  
"I look forward too it," the Supreme Kai says.  
  
"Surely a mortal like you cannot teach a Kai anything," Kabito says haughtily.  
  
"Like I said, I couldn't teach him much," Jesse says, "actually, I could only give him my knowledge. I really can't teach him anything about what it is to be a Kai. Nor is it my place to. Heads up!"  
  
At that moment, everyone has to duck an energy blast lobbed by Super Saiyan 3 Gohan that Dabura dodges.  
  
'His power is too much even for me,' Dabura thinks angrily, 'I'm gonna have to turn him to stone to win.'  
  
Dabura breathes in and spits out a gray blob of spit that hits Gohan's glove. The glove begins to turn to stone.  
  
"TAKE OFF THE GLOVE!" Jesse yells, "IF YOU DON'T, YOU'RE GONNA BE A LAWN ORNAMENT!"  
  
Without thinking, Gohan rips the glove off and throws it to the ground. He then charges Dabura and punches him hard in the gut.  
  
"This Dabura guy really is strong," Goku says, "I'd say he's about as strong as Cell. But his aura is even darker and more corrupt than Cell's."  
  
"Cell was a mockery of all of the strongest fighters you have ever faced, Kakarott," Vegeta growls, "including myself as well as you. As far as I am concerned, nothing is more corrupt than a creature like that."  
  
"As you say, Vegeta," Goku says, "but Dabura is still incredibly powerful. Oddly enough, he doesn't seem to have any attacks that focus energy."  
  
"You are correct, Goku," Jesse says, "Dabura, and quite likely all of Babidi's henchmen including Majin Buu, lack the ability to focus energy to give their attacks more power than they naturally possess. They still have the power to destroy a planet, but they have to pump a lot of sheer power into the attack. I myself do not enough enough power to do so. You, your older son, Vegeta, and Piccolo have the strength to do it. Though why any of you would want to is beyond me."  
  
"Look, Dabura is retreating!" Kabito exclaims.  
  
Indeed, the King of Demons was escaping through the portal in the ground, leaving behind an enraged Gohan with more power than anyone else present.  
  
"Um, this is bad, isn't it?" Videl asks as Gohan turns to them, his eyes ablaze with anger.  
  
"Offhandedly, I'd say we're about to die," Jesse says after seeing the look in Gohan's eyes. 


	10. Chapter Nine: The Power of Rage

WARNING: Graphic violence in this chapter. Really graphic, but it was the best I could come up with.  
  
~~  
  
Gohan looks down at the Z Warriors without actually seeing them. His eyes were emotionless orbs of anger. The images of Jesse being impaled on Dabura's sword and that same sword harming Videl had sent him over the edge.  
  
"And I thought Gohan was mad earlier today when Spopovitch beat me up," Videl says, taking a step back.  
  
"Videl, Goku, Goten, you three are the only ones with a chance at reaching him," Jesse says, "Supreme Kai, think you can join me in a paralysis that will give them a chance to talk to Gohan and calm him down?"  
  
"Do we have any other choice?" the Supreme Kai asks grimly. Jesse and the Supreme Kai both close their eyes and focus. A silver and purple aura begins to form around Gohan. He struggles to move but he can't.  
  
"Videl, Goku, Goten," Jesse strains, "go and talk to him. You three have the best chance of reaching him. The Supreme Kai and I will try to hold him as long as we can. Kabito, if you have any psychic power whatsoever help us."  
  
"I will try and help you as well," Piccolo says. Kabito nods and closes his eyes. Piccolo does the same. Soon, a reddish-blue aura and a sparkling white aura add to the silver and purple auras that already surrounded Gohan.  
  
"Go on up, you three," Jesse says, the strain less apparent.  
  
"Me?" Videl asks, pointing a finger at herself, "what makes you think I can reach him? I hardly know him."  
  
"It's the emotional attachment he has to you," Jesse says, "you don't think he got that ticked off just because I got my innards skewered, do you? No, it was because that same sword hurt you. He probably saw that beating Spopovitch give you in his head again and that pushed him over the edge. Now go! We can't hold this up forever against a guy as strong as Gohan is right now!"  
  
Videl, Goten, and Goku all fly up to Gohan.  
  
Goku speaks first, talking soothingly. "Gohan, son, fight the anger. You have to fight it. If you don't, it'll overwhelm you and consume you. Who'll take care of your mom and Goten if you lose yourself to this anger?"  
  
Goten spoke next, pleading in his voice. "Big brother, you're scaring me. Please calm down. You told me it was okay to be a Super Saiyan, even when I said mom called me a little monster. You taught me how to fly like a birdie! Please calm down big brother. I don't like seeing you like this."  
  
Videl was last. "Gohan, look. I'm alright. So is Jesse. We're both gonna be okay. We're both gonna live. Gohan calm down, please."  
  
"Videl," Gohan says softly, warmth beginning to return to his eyes. Gohan powers down, only to remain suspended up in the air by the paralyzation auras. Goku moves over and grabs ahold of him. He then carries the now- unconcious boy over to the awaiting group.  
  
Vegeta watches with disdain. Once again Kakarott's brat had transcended his power.  
  
Zarvon watches in awe. He had never imagined such power could exist.  
  
Babidi watches with mild disinterest, waiting for Dabura to return so he could scold him in person. Shortly thereafter, Dabura walks in.  
  
"I have half a mind to destroy you here and now," Babidi says crossly, "you have failed me, Dabura."  
  
"Babidi, the boy had far more power than I," Dabura says, "there was nothing I could do."  
  
"Very well," Babidi says, "we're just gonna have to figure out a way for us to get the energy that Majin Buu needs some other way."  
  
The two villains observe the fighters in hopes of finding a weakness. It comes in the form of Vegeta, his anger rising to the surface.  
  
"He will be a nice addition to our forces, don't you think?" Babidi asks in an innocent manner.  
  
"Indeed," Dabura says, "and if what the boy said was true, he is just as strong as the boy that I faced."  
  
"You mean that kid that you tossed aside and later ran through with your sword?" Babidi asks, "who is he?"  
  
"An old foe that I thought long dead," Dabura says.  
  
"How long has he supposed to have been dead, Dabura?" Babidi asks.  
  
"Since the Demon Wars," Dabura replies, "he is one of those responsible for my father and myself losing in that war. He is an incredible fighter against those who wield darkness in their hearts like myself. He will also be a great threat to Majin Buu. Especially if he teaches one of those others his techniques. If he does this, then the boy I faced could destroy Majin Buu with a single blow."  
  
"Nonsense!" Babidi retorts, "Majin Buu is invincible! There is no one in the entire universe who can come close to equaling him. I admit you are strong, Dabura, and so is this boy, but Majin Buu is invincible!"  
  
Babidi cackles a bit and then goes to work on Vegeta, filling him with his dark magic.  
  
Vegeta clutches his head in pain as Babidi's maguic begins to flow into him.  
  
"Get out of my head!" he yells.  
  
"Uh oh," Jesse mutters.  
  
"What's going on?" Krillin asks.  
  
"I felt the same energy emanations from Yamu and Spopovitch that I am beginning to feel from Vegeta," Jesse says, "I think Babidi is trying to take over his mind."  
  
"He does have the necessary darkness for Babidi to take over him!" the Supreme Kai cries out, "we must help him!"  
  
"I can do nothing," Jesse says, "my psychic powers are limited. I can use telepathy, a bit of telekinesis, and control my energy with my psychic power, but that's about it."  
  
"Isn't there anything any of you can do?" Zarvon demands, "you're Super Saiyans, for crying out loud! Super Saiyans are supposed to be capable of anything."  
  
"As Super Saiyans, we can do a lot, but we are still limited in what we can do," Goku says, "there is nothing that any of us can do to help Vegeta. Only he can stop Babidi's magic from taking over his mind."  
  
"Dad, fight it!" Trunks cries out.  
  
The fighters watch helplessly as Vegeta tries to battle the evil magic that Babidi was pouring into him. But even Vegeta's stubborn will was no match for Babidi's dark magic.  
  
Finally, Vegeta powers down and floats to the ground. Trunks rushes over to his father's side, worried.  
  
"Dad, did you do it?" Trunks asks hurriedly, "did you fight off the wizards magic?"  
  
Vegeta raises his head to reveal a stylized "M" on his forehead.  
  
"Babidi's symbol," the Supreme Kai mutters, "just like Dabura, he has fallen to Babidi's magic."  
  
Vegeta stands up and glares at Goku. "Kakarott, we will fight now."  
  
"No Vegeta, we don't have time," Goku replies, dead serious.  
  
"You fool!" Vegeta shouts, "we will fight now! I will avenge my pride!"  
  
"What is this?" Babidi asks in surprise, "I have unlocked all of the evil in his heart and increased his power, but he still has a will of his own. How can this be?"  
  
"I do not know, Babidi," Dabura says, "but at least you do have a hold over him. Can you try for any of the others?"  
  
"No, I cannot," Babidi says, "even the boy you were fighting does not have enough darkness in him for me to use to overwhelm the good in him. No, Vegeta is the only one I can control at all. And yet somehow he has a way to resist my commands."  
  
"Then destroy him so they will not have a stronger ally," Dabura suggests, "besides, his death would surely hurt them."  
  
"No, Dabura, I know these types," Babidi says, "if I kill Vegeta, they will try even harder to stop us, no matter how hurt they get in doing so. And that boy has enough power to ruin all of my carefully laid plans. So instead, I will use him to hurt the others. And while they fight, the energy they unleash will go towards releasing Majin Buu!"  
  
Turning to his crystal globe, Babidi begins to command Vegeta. "Vegeta, destroy the boy while he is defenseless. You will obey me."  
  
Vegeta clutches his head in pain as Babidi's voice floats through his head. "I will NOT!" Vegeta powers up. "The boy is of no concern to me. My only goal is to fight Kakarott!"  
  
"Vegeta," Goku says softly, yet serious. He turns to face the others.  
  
"Guys, Vegeta is more than capable of taking care of any of you while he is a Super Saiyan," Goku says, "I'll take care of him. It is me he wants, after all. And to tell the truth, I've been looking forward to a real fight with him. The tournament limited us too much. That ring out I dealt him just didn't sit well with me."  
  
With that, Goku powers up to Super Saiyan. "Go on. One of you can take Gohan. He's worn out from transforming into a Super Saiyan 3. He'll be alright once he gets a chance to rest for a moment."  
  
He hands Gohan to Videl. "You're the only one here who cannot fight at the levels we are about to fight at, so you will be the only one not required to fight."  
  
"Just great," Jesse muses, "at the moment, the Namek is our strongest available fighter. I hope Dabura doesn't interfere. He's gotten a glimpse of my new fighting style, so I won't be much of a challenge to him. I'm a swordsman, not a martial artist. I prefer fighting with a sword, not my fists."  
  
"You can still help out against Dabura," the Supreme Kai says, "you know how he thinks. How he moves, how he acts."  
  
"I'd better," Jesse grumbles, "I've spent millennia observing his fighting style. But our best hope now is Gohan. But we can't wake him up prematurely. He needs a chance to rest, physically, emotionally, and mentally. Still, we should leave at the moment. I definitely don't want to be around when a pair of Ascendant Super Saiyans fight."  
  
"Vegeta's not an Ascendant Super Saiyan," Piccolo says.  
  
"Take a closer look," Jesse says, "if he's not about to Ascend, then I'll go out on a date with Erasa when all of this is over."  
  
"Can we hold you to that bet?" Zarvon asks blandly.  
  
"Yep," Jesse replies.  
  
"Wanna skip the warm-up?" Goku asks Vegeta.  
  
"Sure, why not?" Vegeta asks.  
  
At that Goku Ascends to the second level of Super Saiyan. With a smirk, Vegeta does the same.  
  
"Well, I guess this is gonna take longer than I thought," Goku says seriously.  
  
"Maybe I really do have some slight precognitive abilities," Jesse muses, "or maybe I'm just really observant."  
  
"And here I was wanting to see your face when you had to take Erasa out on a date," Zarvon chuckles. Videl chuckles as well.  
  
"You two are evil," Jesse says with a pained look on his face, "Supreme Kai, you may lead the way."  
  
"Would one of you please open the way for us?" the Supreme Kai asks.  
  
Zarvon focuses some of his ki into a ball and blasts the door to the passage in the floor wide open.  
  
"After you," he says mock-graciously. The Z Warriors float down the passage with a blushing and scowling Videl holding Gohan.  
  
On their way down, Zarvon nudges Jesse, indicating Videl's facial expression. Seeing it, Jesse chuckles, then quickly looks away as Videl directs her scowl in his direction.  
  
"I can sense Dabura closer now," Jesse says, "be wary. Remember the effects of his spit."  
  
The group carries on with caution. A group of armored aliens appear.  
  
"Babidi's henchmen," the Supreme Kai says, "think you can handle them?"  
  
"Since the only henchman Babidi has that can increase his power level is Dabura, we can easily take these chumps down," Jesse says with a smirk. With that, he obliterates one of the henchmen with a ki blast.  
  
Zarvon leaps into the mob of henchmen with a maniacal laugh. Krillin, Piccolo, the Supreme Kai, Goten, Trunks, and Jesse quickly join him. The seven fighters quickly dispatch Babidi's henchmen.  
  
"I'll never be that good," Videl says as the five fighters make their way back to Videl and Kabito.  
  
"Hey, there was a time when I wasn't much stronger than you, and I was one of the strongest people on the planet," Krillin says, "just give it time. Now, you probably won't match Piccolo, Goten, Trunks, or the Supreme Kai, but you can reach my level. Maybe even Jesse's."  
  
"The only reason I am as strong as I am is because of my psychic abilities being meshed with my ki," Jesse says, "still, you have incredible potential, Videl. Most people take a long time to learn how to fly. From what I've observed, you didn't take very long to learn, did you?"  
  
"How did you know any of that?" Videl asks.  
  
"Simple observation on how well you flew at the tournament," Jesse says, "how long did it take you to do very well?"  
  
"I was able to get off the ground my first day of flying lessons," Videls ays sheepishly.  
  
"And you couldn't even use your ki before Gohan taught you?" Krillin asks, "now that's unheard of! Even Goku, who learned the Kamehameha Wave just by watching Master Roshi use it once when it took Roshi fifty years to perfect, didn't learn how to fly in a single day."  
  
"Really?" Videl asks.  
  
"Most Saiyans don't learn how to fly their first day, and we're born fighters with the ability to fly," Zarvon says, "for a human, you are exceptionally strong."  
  
"Thanks," Videl says, blushing at the praise.  
  
"Let's go," Kabito says, "we must hurry."  
  
"Supreme Kai, why does Babidi need energy?" Piccolo asks, "Pui Pui said that he would take our energy for Majin Buu."  
  
"He needs the energy to power the spell to release him," the Supreme Kai replies.  
  
"Um, I hate to say this, but I figured out how he can get energy in this ship," Jesse says, "I noticed it during Gohan's fight with Dabura. The walls sucked up every particle of energy that was left over from each attack."  
  
"Ingenius," the Supreme Kai says.  
  
"If we don't hurry, Goku and Vegeta are gonna give him more than enough to ressurect Majin Buu," Jesse says, "and then with just Buu we'd be screwed. If we're not there to stop Dabura from merging with Buu, then we'll be completely screwed with no way to stop him."  
  
"Yes, let us hurry," the Supreme Kai says.  
  
At that moment, Gohan stirs.  
  
"Hey guys, I think he's waking up," Videl says.  
  
Gohan opens his eyes to see Videl holding him up.  
  
"Um, Videl?" Gohan asks, a blush forming, "could you please let me down?"  
  
"Sure Gohan," Videl says, dropping him. Gohan lands with an "oomph", then gets to his feet.  
  
"What happened?" he asks.  
  
"Piccolo, you take this one while I try to figure out the best way to get to where Babidi is keeping Majin buu," Jesse says.  
  
"Basically kid, you got so mad at seeing Dabura run Jesse through, which was probably made worse by seeing the state he was in when Dabura showed up, as well as his sword grazing Videl, you just lost it," Piccolo says, "completely and utterly. I haven't seen you that out of it since you transformed under a full moon. Not even when you took on Frieza's third form."  
  
"What happened after that?" Gohan asks.  
  
"You went beyond an Ascendant Saiyan and became a Super Saiyan 3," Zarvon says, his voice filled with awe and respect.  
  
"A Super Saiyan 3?" Gohan asks in surprise, "there's another level to Super Saiyan?"  
  
"There may be no limit to the levels of Super Saiyan," the Supreme Kai says, "but that is not important at the moment. What is important is stopping Babidi from resurrecting Majin Buu."  
  
Gohan looks around. "Hey, where's my dad? And Vegeta?"  
  
"Babidi took over my dad's mind," Trunks says as tears form in his eyes, "he wouldn't listen to anyone. All he wanted to do was fight your dad."  
  
"They both went beyond Super Saiyans and started fighting," Goten says, "Jesse made a bet with Zarvon and Videl that if Vegeta didn't Ascend he would go out on a date with someone named Eraser."  
  
"That's Erasa," Zarvon says, "and Jesse won the bet."  
  
"Jesse made a bet like that?" Gohan asks, raising an eyebrow, "you must have had a lot of confidence in yourself."  
  
"It was nothing," Jesse says, "I felt how your heart was when you first became an Ascendant Super Saiyan. I felt how your heart and Goku's were when you fought at the tournament. Vegeta wasn't far behind. And you scared Dabura pretty badly. Normally, he would have fought you with all of his might because he found you to be a worthy opponent. But he tried to turn you to stone."  
  
"How'd I escape?" Gohan asks.  
  
"The spit hit your glove and you tore the glove off and threw it away," Zarvon answers.  
  
"But you were really scary as a Super Saiyan 3, big brother," Goten says.  
  
Gohan scoops Goten up. "Did I now? What did I look like?"  
  
"You're hair got really long," Videl says, "and it looked thicker and spikier. Your muscled got bigger and bolts of lightning bigger than the ones at the form you were at sparked around you."  
  
"And your eyebrows disappeared," Piccolo says, "all in all, you were a pretty imposing sight."  
  
"I'll bet," Gohan muses, "what happened then?"  
  
"Dabura turned tail and ran, leaving you alone with us," Krillin says, "if it weren't for your dad, Goten, and Videl getting through your rage, we'd all be dead by now."  
  
"Videl?" Gohan asks.  
  
"Yeah, they insisted I try and help," Videl says.  
  
"I found the way," Jesse says, "Majin Buu's prison is directly beneath us."  
  
"So how do we get there?" Zarvon asks, "blast a hole in the floor?"  
  
"That might disturb Majin Buu and release him anyway," the Supreme Kai says.  
  
"Got it covered," Jesse says. He raises his right hand. He shoots forth a circle of golden yellow ki energy. The energy sets into the floor and begins to spin, cutting through the floor with ease.  
  
"Dabura is gonna be ticked," Jesse says, "Gohan, you had better try and mask your power signature. Out of all of Babidi's henchmen, he is the only one who can sense ki at all, though Babidi can sense minds. Luckily we all have disciplined enough minds for him to be unable to detect us. Well, except maybe you since you have lost much of your fighting edge."  
  
"I'm gonna start training again when this is all over," Gohan says, "if only to shut Vegeta up. I'll even spar with him."  
  
"First we gotta free the Saiyan Prince from Babidi's magic," the Supreme Kai says, "he may still be in full control, but if it looks like he's gonna fail, then Babidi will use the control he has over him to kill him."  
  
"He can do that?" Trunks asks, now more worried than ever.  
  
"He can," the Supreme Kai responds, "it is not a pretty way to die. I have seen Babidi's father, Bibidi, destroy hundreds of his own warriors because they failed him. Though Babidi is nowhere near as skilled as his father was. He's more of a brat trying to fulfill his father's dream."  
  
"We have to help him!" Trunks says, "I know he doesn't want to fight Goten's dad. Not if it'll create a monster like Majin Buu."  
  
"I'm afraid it's not that simple," Jesse says grimly, "at the moment, Babidi's magic is only amplifying Vegeta's own desires. He wants to fight Goku to avenge his silly pride and honor when all he is really doing it for is pride. He would have challenged Goku again after this was all over anyway. I'm sure of it. He is resisting Babidi's full control. All he has is the stuff tha tis beneficial to him. But he is still playing into Babidi's hands."  
  
Jesse takes a look at the circle being cut in the floor. Seeing that they were almost through, Jesse pulls out a small silver orb.  
  
"This is going to be my final battle with Dabura," Jesse says, "so I'm going to distract him while the rest of you deal with Babidi's other thugs."  
  
With that, the silver orb creates a cocoon of light around Jesse. When is disappears, he is garbed in silver samurai armor (A/N: If you're a Ronin Warriors fan, think the Armor that Anubis wore, only without the helmet and silver in color.). Jesse draws a silver double-edged narrow bladed sword from the scabbard on his waist.  
  
"Supreme Kai, do you recognize this?" Jesse asks.  
  
"Is that what I think it is?" the Supreme Kai gasps.  
  
"The legendary Silver Sword," Kabito gasps, "but it was lost thousands of years ago."  
  
"It was lost when Dabura sealed me into Limbo," Jesse says, "but now I'm back and so is it."  
  
"Do you honestly believe that armor can protect you from someone like Dabura?" Zarvon asks as he visually examines Jesse's armor.  
  
"It's made of the hardest metal in the universe," Jesse replies coolly, "it should."  
  
"It's made of kitchan?" the Supreme Kai gasps, completely surprised.  
  
"And let me tell you, it was a pain in the posterior making this armor," Jesse says, "it took me millennia to gather enough kitchan in Limbo to make it, and then it took even longer to forge it. But that increased my stamina, endurance, and strength in doing so. Let's go."  
  
With that, Jesse leaps onto the circle that was being cut out of the floor. His added weight snaps the tiny sliver of metal that had yet to be cut through. Upon hitting the ground on the lower floor, Jesse leaps at the surprised Dabura, roaring in absolute glee at his final battle.  
  
Gohan, Piccolo, Goten, Trunks, Videl, the Supreme Kai, Kabito, and Zarvon all quickly follow.  
  
"Goten, Trunks, protect Videl," Gohan orders as he turns Super Saiyan and plows through a group of Babidi's henchmen.  
  
"Okay big brother," Gotens ays as he goes Super Saiyan.  
  
"Got it Gohan," Trunks says as he does the same.  
  
The fighters throw themselves into the melee. The Supreme Kai easily locates the cowering Babidi and attempts to apprehend him. But Babidi creates a barrier that the Supreme Kai could not penetrate. But Piccolo could. With a single swipe of his hand he obliterates Babidi's barrier and cleaves him in two.  
  
Dabura summons his sword and begins a furious sword duel with Jesse. The two masters of the sword thrust, parry, slash, and cut at one another. This duel was far more vicious than the one they had had earlier by far.  
  
But Dabura's superior strength begins to push Jesse back. Finally, he swings his sword horizontally and removes Jesse's head. The Z Warriors watch in horror as their ally's head rolls on the ground.  
  
"Finally, he is dead!" Dabura cackles.  
  
At that exact same moment, Majin Buu's ball reaches full energy capacity and splits open, releasing a lot of steam.  
  
"Oh no!" Supreme Kai Kabito gasp in doubled shock, both at Jesse's death and the imminent release of Majin Buu. Videl, Gohan, Krillin, Piccolo, Goten, Trunks, and Zarvon all gasp in horror at Jesse's beheading.  
  
"You monster!" Gohan yells as he reaches Super Saiyan 3 once again and charges at Dabura and begins to pound him mercilessly.  
  
But the Supreme Kai and Kabito are no longer worried about Dabura. Their worst fear has come true: Majin Buu has been released.  
  
~~  
  
Well, how's that for a shocker? Don't worry, things work out. I hope. I'm still not clear as to what happens after this, and at 2:14 on a Saturday morning, which is exactly when I am writing this, I do not want to think about it. I hope you liked this chapter and feel free to report your anger to me about me killing Jesse. 


	11. Chapter Ten: Majin Buu Released

The ground shakes with incredible power as a pink cloud forms above the now- open ball that held Majin Buu.  
  
But the ground also shook for another reason. Gohan's power as a Super Saiyan 3 was also what shook the ground. As his fists pound into Dabura, each blow resounding with a meaty smack. Soon, Dabura is all but unrecognizable as his features are distorted under swelling bruises and a mess of blood.  
  
"Gohan is unstoppable right now," Krillin observes as the other Z Warriors finish off the last of the Babidi's henchmen as Piccolo watches almost sadly as the last shreds of Babidi's life slip away.  
  
Meanwhile, Kabito and the Supreme Kai watch in horror as Majin Buu takes shape from the cloud.  
  
He was tall. At least as tall as Zarvon, and extremely rotund. He had pink skin, baggy white pants, a black vest with gold trim, a black belt that had a gold buckle with Babidi's symbol on it, and large yellow gloves.  
  
"That's Majin Buu?" Videl asks, "I expected him to be frightening, not in a need of a membership to Weightwatchers Annonymous."  
  
"Do not let his appearance deceive you," Supreme Kai says, "he is the most powerful being in the universe."  
  
Meanwhile, Goku and Vegeta were really going at it. With both at them fighting at the level of an Ascendant Saiyan, the sheer force of their presence was one that not many beings in the galaxy could withstand. And to be present while they were fighting is downright all but impossible.  
  
Suddenly, Goku stops mid-blow, cocking his head in the direction of the passageway.  
  
"Do you feel that, Vegeta?" Goku asks, "I'll bet that's Majin Buu."  
  
Vegeta looks in the direction of the power. As he does this, the "M" on his forehead disappears.  
  
"Babidi is no more," Vegeta says softly, "there is no one who can seal this creature back up now. He will have to be destroyed. But Gohan is more concerned with pounding on Dabura. I guess we will have to step in and fight."  
  
"Let's go Vegeta," Goku says.  
  
"Kakarott, wait," Vegeta says, "either hand me a senzu bean or take us to Dende."  
  
"Let's go to Dende," Goku says, "we just may need these senzu beans later, and these are the last ones Korin has at the moment."  
  
Vegeta lays a hand on Goku's shoulder and Goku uses the Instant Transmission to take the two of them to the Lookout.  
  
Dabura looks at Gohan with pure rage through his swollen eyes. He was completely outmatched by this Saiyan boy. But Dabura knew that all was not lost. Majin Buu had been released. All it would take was a second for him and Majin Buu to fuse permanently into one unstoppable being.  
  
Dabura rushes at Majin Buu, his right hand outstretched.  
  
"Buu! You and I will become one!"  
  
"I don't think so," Gohan says as he leaps in front of Dabura, a savage grin on his face, "you're dead."  
  
"Buu!" At that exact same moment, Majin Buu unleashes a blast of extremely powerful energy that rips through both Gohan and Dabura. It looks like it incinerates them, but it blows them through the ceiling and far away.  
  
"No!" Zarvon yells. Golden flames begin to form around him as his hair stands up and his eyes change into an aqua color. In one final flash, he transforms into a Super Saiyan.  
  
"So now every living Saiyan is a Super Saiyan," Piccolo murmurs, "but even a Super Saiyan can't defeat Majin Buu. Zarvon isn't even as strong as a Super Saiyan as Gohan was in his normal form. He could probably beat Frieza, but not Majin Buu."  
  
But Zarvon's increase of power doesn't stop there. A hidden well of power is unlocked within him, a well of almost unfathomable power. With a flash, he Ascends into a Super Saiyan 2.  
  
"Amazing," Krillin says, "his power is incredible. He only just transformed into a Super Saiyan for the first time and he's already Ascended."  
  
"I don't think he's stopping there!" Videl cries out as the lightning bolts crackling around Zarvon grow thicker and flash longer. His hair begins to lengthen and his eyebrows disappear. In a roar of power he transforms into a Super Saiyan 3.  
  
"Impossible!" Piccolo cries out, "as a Super Saiyan 3, he is as powerful as Gohan is as an Ascendant Super Saiyan.  
  
But Zarvon's power does not stop there. For up in the sky, the moon could be seen. And see it Zarvon does. He begins the transformation into the mighty, massive oozaru. But he is still a Super Saiyan! With an earth shattering roar, he crashes through the roof of Babidi's starship.  
  
"That's the oozaru transformation?" Videl asks.  
  
"It is," Piccolo says, "but we've never had to deal with an oozaru Super Saiyan. His power is incredible. He's stronger than Gohan was. He could beat Buu. But then he would destroy everything."  
  
"Do not worry," Oozaru Zarvon says, "I am in complete control. I'm guessing that whenever Goku and Gohan became oozaru's, they could not control themselves."  
  
"You bet they couldn't!" Krillin says, "Goku killed his own grandfather one time when he transformed."  
  
"Guys, most of us have seen an oozaru fight," Piccolo says, "I don't think any of us want to be around when Zarvon and Buu fight each other."  
  
"You got that right," Krillin says, "every time I've been around an oozaru it tried to kill me!"  
  
"But I can't let Buu out of my sight!" the Supreme Kai says, "he is my responsibility. No matter how powerful Zarvon has became, he still may be no match for Majin Buu."  
  
One of Babidi's henchmen who had been able to escape unnoticed sneaks up behind the Supreme Kai and blasts him from behind. The blast visibly knocks him far away. With a cry of "Master!" Kabito takes off after the fallen form of the Supreme Kai, blasting the henchmen from behind as he takes off.  
  
"Vegeta, do you feel that?" Goku asks from the Lookout.  
  
"Of course I do Kakarott," Vegeta snorts, "Gohan is gone. Zarvon appears to have gone to Super Saiyan 3 and then into an oozaru. I've never heard of such a thing. His power is as great as ours now. As an oozaru Super Saiyan 3 he is almost our equal. "  
  
"I can't feel Dabura either," Dende observes, "do you think Gohan and Dabura killed each other?"  
  
"Not likely," Goku says thoughtfully, "as an Ascendant Super Saiyan, Gohan was Dabura's equal. As a Super Saiyan 3, he was all but unstoppable."  
  
"This other power, this power devoid of feeling, must be Majin Buu," Vegeta observes, "his power is incredible."  
  
"Its terrible," Goku says through clenched teeth.  
  
"I sense Piccolo and the others moving away," Dende says, "and I can no longer sense the Supreme Kai either."  
  
"This is not good," Goku says, "and Zarvon may be powerful, but if Majin Buu could take out Gohan as a Super Saiyan 3, then Zarvon won't even be a challenge, even if he is an oozaru Super Saiyan 3."  
  
"Then what do we do?" Mr. Popo asks.  
  
"There's a technique called the Fusion, where two people of similar physical abilities and size join into one mighty warrior," Goku says.  
  
"I once heard of such a technique from a man from Metamor," Dende says.  
  
"The people of Metamor that I met in Otherworld taught me how to do it," Goku says, "in and of themselves, they aren't very strong, but with this technique they are among the strongest warriors in the universe."  
  
"And you're suggesting that you and I perform this Fusion?" Vegeta demands, outraged.  
  
"Well, yeah," Goku says, "after all, we're perfectly equal in strength and we're close enough in size for it to work."  
  
"Forget it," Vegeta says, "I am not sharing a body with you."  
  
"But Vegeta, it's only for half and hour," Goku says, "that's how long the technique will last, and as powerful as we'll become when we Fuse we could beat Majin Buu without even going Super Saiyan."  
  
"Such power is impossible!" Vegeta roars.  
  
"Majin Buu was stronger than Gohan was as a Super Saiyan 3," Goku points out.  
  
"Kakarott, I refuse to share one body with you for any length of time," Vegeta replies evenly.  
  
"Then what are we to do?" Goku asks, "you and I are the only hope the Earth has."  
  
"What about Goten and Trunks?" Mr. Popo asks, "aren't they of the same size? And Dende and I saw how close they were in the tournament. Could they perform the Fusion?"  
  
"They could!" Goku says hopefully, "that is, if you don't mind our sons sharing a body Vegeta."  
  
"The two are so close they may as well be one brat anyway," Vegeta snorts, "and if this Fusion works, then maybe they could give me a decent spar after this mess is over when they're Fused."  
  
"All right!" Goku says cheerily, "I'll go get everyone and bring them here as fast as the Instant Transmission can take me."  
  
With that, Goku uses the Instant Transmission to take him to where Piccolo and the others were.  
  
When he arrives, Goku finds the others flying off in the distance.  
  
"Hey guys, wait up!" he yells.  
  
"Goku?" Krillin asks, turning around to look.  
  
Goku flies over to the others. "Guys, we need to get to the Lookout. I've got a day to teach Goten and Trunks a technique that'll enable them to get strong enough to beat Majin Buu if Zarvon can't."  
  
"He's an oozaru Super Saiyan 3," Piccolo states, "if he can't, then how could Goten and Trunks beat him?"  
  
"You'll just have to wait and see," Goku says, "now get ready for Instant Transmission."  
  
Piccolo lays a hand on Goku's right shoulder while Krillin grabs his left. Goten and Trunks hold hands while grabbing Piccolo's free hand and Videl grabs Krillin's free hand.  
  
"Wait, where's the Supreme Kai and Kabito?" Goku asks, "and where's Gohan?"  
  
"One of Babidi's henchmen knocked the supreme Kai some distance away after Zarvon went oozaru," Krillin says, "Majin Buu hit Gohan and Dabura from behind with an energy blast that knocked them out of sight."  
  
"Well, we'll have to go and look for them after we deal with Majin Buu," Goku says, "well, let's go."  
  
With that, Goku uses the Instant Transmission to take them to the Lookout.  
  
"You big," Majin Buu says, looking up at Zarvon, "you look strong. Me enjoy making you dead!"  
  
"You've killed enough people," Zarvon says, "I'm going to destroy you."  
  
"Ha ha ha!" Buu laughs, "you funny. Now me make you dead!"  
  
With that, Majin Buu flies up at Zarvon and punches him in the stomach. Zarvon counters by batting him to the ground and then stomps on him.  
  
But Majin Buu quickly rebounds with a vicious blast of energy that Zarvon counters with a mouth blast.  
  
"They've started," Dende says when Goku and the others arrive.  
  
"He's way out of his league," Vegeta says, "I'm going to help him. He's the only Saiyan who has yet to die, and he won't die as long as I have anything to say about it. Trunks, take care. And if I don't make it, please take care of your mother."  
  
Before anyone could stop him, he takes off and flies in the direction of Majin Buu and Zarvon.  
  
"Vegeta wait!" Goku cries out.  
  
"Let him go, Goku," Piccolo says, "we need to concentrate on whatever it is you plan on teaching Goten and Trunks."  
  
"I guess your right," Goku says, "and you can always use the second wish of the Dragon Balls to go to New Namek and use their Dragon Balls to bring him back."  
  
"Whats the technique your gonna show us?" Trunks asks.  
  
"It's called the Fusion," Goku says, "if you manage to master it, the two of you will be able to combine into a single warrior far more powerful than either of you are as Super Saiyans. And if your Super Saiyans when you perform the technique, just imagine the power you'll have."  
  
"Incredible," Piccolo breathes, "Goku, can it be done?"  
  
"Well, if they're quick enough, they'll be able to be able to it within a day," Goku says, "then they can use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to get in a lot of training and become even stronger while mastering the technique. But if they can't master it before my time is up, I trust you'll be able to get them through the rest of the training. After all, you made Gohan into a really talented fighter in less than a year. Giving him the training that took me my entire life up to that point in just a year."  
  
"It was his own natural abilities that carried through and made him as strong as he was," Piccolo admits, "I just tried to get him to control it. He didn't control it until he summoned forth his power to destroy Cell."  
  
"Still, you're the best one for training them," Goku continues, "you have more fighting knowledge than anyone else I know."  
  
"Okay Goku, I'll train them if your time runs out," Piccolo says.  
  
"Okay, after I show them the basics of the technique, I'm going to get everyone else," Goku says, "that is, if you don't mind me brining them all up here to the Lookout."  
  
"It's Dende's Lookout now," Piccolo says, smiling at the younger Namekian, "it's up to him."  
  
"Well, it's not really in the rules," Dende says, "but, you guys have done so much for the Earth when neither Kami or myself could really do anything except give you training or heal you. So your families are always welcome up here."  
  
"All right, then let's get cracking," Goku says, "Goten, Trunks, come with me. Piccolo, you too, since you'll need to see how this is performed."  
  
The four warriors head for one of the open rooms of the Lookout to begin their training.  
  
Meanwhile, Kabito was searching frantically for the Supreme Kai. His master had been hurt badly by Babidi's henchman. And if the universe was to have any hope of surviving, then the Supreme Kai must live.  
  
The Supreme Kai was still alive. And he was now searching for Gohan. The Supreme Kai had a plan on what to do. He knew of a way to where it might be possible for Gohan to increase his already phenomenal fighting abilities to unprecedented levels. Yes, the Z Sword was the only way.  
  
In Otherworld, Jesse and King Yemma watch with approaching dread as to what was happening on Earth. Yemma was dreading the paperwork of placing all of the Earth's inhabitants in their proper place in Otherworld if Goku and his fellow Z Warriors failed.  
  
Jesse watched with dread for he knew he could help if he only had the ability to cross back over into the world of the living, since he had been allowed to keep his body and given permission to go back to Earth to help as soon as he could  
  
~~  
  
Well, what did you think of this chapter? My writer's block still isn't gone, but its diminished. I wanted to go further with the story in this chapter, but I realized that I did not have the writing talent to do what I had in mind justice, so I'll leave it up to a brief overview in the next chapter.  
  
I'm trying to go with slightly altered events from the anime, because I think they did it fairly well but it could have definitely been done better. I'm still not sure how in the world I'm gonna finish this story. It may not be finished till I see the end of DBZ because I do not know of the capabilities of Kid Buu, though he probably won't be appearing. And I need to know the capabilities of the Fusion Dance version of the Fusion between Goku and Vegeta, if they even perform it in DBZ. I believe they do it in DBGT, but I'm not positive. I'll figure this out later. Right now, I need to focus on my other DBZ fic, "Pegaro's Adventure".  
  
Well, please review. You can also e-mail me at silver_warrior12@yahoo.com if you don't want to review. And I do not care if you flame me. I take everything as either positive reinforcement or constructive criticism, except when you insult my intelligence. THE MIGHTY CORRECTOR, this means you! It's been a little while since I read one of your reviews, but you did insult the way I was thinking this fic, as well as my other DBZ fic. This is fanfiction, and we authors can pretty much do as we wish with a story except steal someone else's. I've read a few fics where you could tell the author was severely influenced by other animes. If you're a Digimon fan and don't mind any of the romantic couplings or just don't care as long as they are well-written and believable, read Digimon 02: Endgame by Psycho G. The address is http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php/userid=639402. Hope you like it. I'm not spoiling any of the story. But trust me when I say its good, as long as you don't mind 'R' rated content that borders on NC-17 at times. 


	12. Chapter Eleven: Fistfights and Returns

Everyone on the Lookout was awaiting the return of Gotenks. He had arrogantly taken off to fight Majin Buu before he had a chance to learn the limits of his power. And since Goku's time in the living world was up, he had been forced to return to Otherworld. And Vegeta had ended up sacrificing his life to try and stop Majin Buu. Zarvon had returned to the Lookout, his tail cut off and sorely beaten. The Fused Super Saiyan was overly cocky, even if his power was incredible.  
  
Meanwhile, in Otherworld, Jesse and Goku watch Gohan and the Old Kai train to enhance Gohan's powers. Jesse had heard a legend or two about this old former Supreme Kai. And all of them pointed to the power that the Old Kai was boasting to have. Too bad the Old Kai was as perverted as Jesse's old sensei in the use of the sword, Gemini Storm. And Goku had said that Master Roshi was just as bad. What was it with these old legendary masters and being perverted? Did they devote themselves to their craft so much when they were young that they made up for it when they got old?  
  
"So Goku, what exactly are the limits of Super Saiyan 3?" Jesse asks as he keeps his senses open to detect change sin power on Earth.  
  
"Well, it takes up an incredible amount of power, but the increase of power is incredible," Goku says.  
  
"Do you think Gohan will be strong enough to defeat Majin Buu with this new power increase and his Super Saiyan 3 powers?" Jesse asks.  
  
"I hope so," Goku says, "how are things looking on Earth?"  
  
"I think dying dulled my senses quite a bit," Jesse says, "I can't even sense more than half the Earth's population."  
  
"Majin Buu has been killing without mercy," Goku says grimly, "they are probably here in Otherworld."  
  
"What?" Jesse gasps, "not good at all."  
  
"Jesse, Dabura is still alive somewhere on Earth, waiting to catch Majin Buu unaware and combining with his power," Goku says, "can you go to Earth with Gohan to hunt him down after Majin Buu is destroyed?"  
  
"I have the ability to create portals, but I cannot use them to go back to the world of the living," Jesse says, "otherwise, I would have already returned to hunt Dabura down and then helped you teach those kids the Fusion Dance."  
  
"You know the Fusion Dance?" Goku asks.  
  
"A couple of Metamoreize I met back during the Demon Wars taught it to me, even though I couldn't find anyone of comparable enough abilities to try it out with except in practice," Jesse replies.  
  
"What about Gohan?" Supreme Kai asks, "you and he are close enough in physical stature, aren't you?"  
  
"Its not just size, but our strength as well," Jesse replies, "I'm not close enough to Gohan's strength to warrant a Fusion, even with the abilities and knowledge I would bring to the Fusion. Gohan would have to limit himself way too much."  
  
"I just wish Vegeta had consented to Fuse with me," Goku says, "or that he hadn't gotten himself killed."  
  
"Yeah, he's probably in Hell by now since he was killed before Majin Buu started all of his havoc," Jesse says, "uh oh."  
  
"What is it?" Goku asks.  
  
"Now there seems to be two Majin Buu's," Jesse says, "but now I can actually tell if they are good or evil. One seems to have the innocence I've only seen before in a child, and you Goku. The other is more evil than anything I have ever felt. But whats even stranger, the two Buu's are fighting."  
  
"Maybe they'll destroy each other," the Supreme Kai says hopefully.  
  
"No, the evil Buu seems to possess most of Buu's power," Jesse says, sweat beginning to drip from his forehead as he focuses on what is going on on Earth, "it's like he split into two, splitting up his full power between the two of them. Oh no!"  
  
"What now?" Goku asks desperately.  
  
"The evil Buu has won," Jesse says grimly, "and now he's even stronger than he was before. And now he appears to be heading for the Lookout! I think he can sense energy signals now."  
  
"Not good," Goku says.  
  
"Goku, how quickly can you teach me the Instant Transmission?" Jesse asks, "I would ask Kabito to transport me, but I don't want to put a Kai at risk. The whole universe suffers when a Kai dies."  
  
"Well Jesse, I think I can teach you how to perform the Instant Transmission in a matter of minutes," Goku says, "that is, if I judge your telepathic abilities properly."  
  
"Then lets begin," Jesse says as he touches his index and middle fingers to Goku's forehead as Goku does the same to Jesse. The transfer of knowledge begins.  
  
"Those two," the Old Kai grumbles, "don't they realize that what they are doing is futile? That boy cannot hold off this Majin Buu for long. And he's draining himself trying to keep in touch with whats happening on Earth."  
  
"Old Kai, is there any way to speed this up?" Gohan asks.  
  
"No, there isn't!" the Old Kai yells at Gohan, "now be still an concentrate! And you, kindergarten Kai! Here, catch!"  
  
The Old Kai creates a crystal ball in his right hand and tosses it to the Supreme Kai. The Supreme Kai catches the ball and sets it down. Images of what was going on appear in the ball.  
  
They watch as Majin Buu looks scornfully at the assembled Z Warriors. Zarvon looked like he was ready to go Super Saiyan 3, even though he was far from being strong enough for it to make a real difference.  
  
"Man, that guy is totally evil," Pegaro says as he watches Majin Buu walk around the edge of the Lookout. Piccolo had shocked everyone by suggesting that he go and have some "fun" with the people left on Earth. Pegaro didn't know about the Dragon Balls, so he thought Piccolo was insane.  
  
"He's mocking us," Piccolo says, barely restraining the anger in his voice, "Krillin, go and wake Goten and Trunks and have them go into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Six hours pass in there for every minute out here. I just hope its enough."  
  
"Right Piccolo," Krillin says, then runs off to fetch Goten and Trunks.  
  
"Does Piccolo know what he's doing?" Pegaro asks Bulma.  
  
"Well, he used to be the Guardian of the Earth," Bulma replies, "he only has the best interests of Earth at heart. But he may be looking at the bigger picture. I think he would gladly sacrifice all of Earth to keep Majin Buu from spreading out to the rest of the universe."  
  
Majin Buu finally stops pacing around the Lookout. He smiles evilly at Piccolo and raises his right arm up. Purplish-red energy forms in his right hand. Thousands, if not millions or even billions, of energy blasts erupt from the energy in Buu's right hand and descend upon the Earth.  
  
"What is he doing?" Supreme Kai gasps.  
  
"He's killing everyone on Earth in a single attack," Kabito says, "this is. this is horrible!"  
  
"And its all my fault!" Supreme Kai wails, "I should have taken more measures to insure that Majin Buu did not escape. I should have tried to destroy him while he was helpless in his ball when he was trapped there."  
  
"There was no way you could have known that this would have happened, master," Kabito says, "but at least Gohan will be strong enough to avenge all those that Majin Buu has killed."  
  
"Yes, but in the process the human race will be extinct," Supreme Kai says sullenly.  
  
"No necessarily," Goku says. He and Jesse and finished the transfer of knowledge while the Supreme Kai and Kabito were watching the crystal ball.  
  
"What do you mean, Goku?" Supreme Kai asks.  
  
"Supreme Kai, are you familiar with the Dragon Balls of Namek?" Goku asks.  
  
"Why of course," Supreme Kai says.  
  
"We have a set of Dragon Balls on Earth," Goku explains, "they can grant two wishes. They can wish any number of people back as long as they died under a similar circumstance, such as being killed by Majin Buu. But they can only be brought back once with Earth's Dragon Balls. Most of the Z Warriors have been brought back with the Dragon Balls. Yamcha, Piccolo, Goten, Trunks, and Gohan are the only ones who haven't been brought back with Earth's Dragon Balls. The only time Yamcha's died he was revived with the Namekian Dragon Balls. Trunks and Goten are too young to have died, and Piccolo was once part of the link to keep them in this dimension, so when he went they went. And as for Gohan, he hasn't died yet. And I'm hoping that when he does die, its of old age and has been living a long life of peace after this."  
  
"But how can we hold Majin Buu off long enough for Gohan to be ready?" Kabito asks, distressed.  
  
"I'm going back to Earth to stop Majin Buu as best I can," Jesse says, "I would perform a Fusion with one of your friends, but the only one of a comparable enough size and strength for the Fusion Dance to work and be useful is Number 18, and weird things happen when two people of different genders Fuse. I saw it happen once. The Fusion went awry and the two were Fused together permanently. I doubt Krillin would enjoy me and his wife sharing one body forever."  
  
"Do you really think you have a chance against someone like Majin Buu?" the Old Kai asks.  
  
"Of course not!" Jesse says, "but I have to do something. And I doubt even Majin Buu is so powerful that I can't hold him off for an hour. One hour, and either Gohan or Goten and Trunks will be ready. 1 hour in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber will easily increase Goten and Trunks' strength so that Majin Buu will be nothing at all."  
  
"Then go, and stop him," the Old Kai says, "Gohan should be ready within the hour."  
  
"Good," Jesse says, raising his index and middle fingers to his forehead.  
  
"Good luck Jesse," Goku says.  
  
"Thank you Goku, " Jesse says, "it's a good thing I'm already dead. Majin Buu could easily kill me."  
  
"If you are killed while already dead, then you will be cast into oblivion, and not even the Dragon Balls can save you," the Supreme Kai says, "not even I. No Kai could."  
  
"He's right, you know," the Old Kai says., "no Kai that has ever lived could save you from oblivion."  
  
"Do I have a choice?" Jesse asks, "in case I don't see any of you again, it was an honor serving with you."  
  
With that, Jesse vanishes in the Instant Transmission.  
  
Chichi was berating Majin Buu for killing Gohan.  
  
Majin Buu glances at Chichi. "Do you like eggs?"  
  
Majin Buu swings his tentacle at Chichi, intent on turning her into a food item, when an energy blast rips through his tentacle, severing it from the rest of him and disintegrating it. Majin Buu immediately regenerates and looks in the direction of where the blast had come from.  
  
"Is that Jesse?" Videl gasps, "but I saw Dabura rip his head off! He died!"  
  
"Well, I got a little bit better," Jesse says, pointing to his halo.  
  
"He's been allowed to keep his body and is being allowed to come back to Earth for a day to help us!" Krillin realizes.  
  
"Piccolo, go through with your plan!" Jesse says, "I'm gonna try and buy you some time."  
  
Jesse turns to face Majin Buu. "Buu wanna fight?" Then fight me!"  
  
Jesse dashes at Majin Buu, summoning his sword and lopping off Buu's regrown tentacle. Jesse then takes off away from the Lookout and heads back down to Earth.  
  
Buu roars in anger and takes off after Jesse. Jesses uses one of his power enhancement techniques and focuses the entire enhancement on his speed, growing fast enough to outpace Majin Buu. He proceeds to play a high-stakes game of cat and mouse with Majin Buu, with Buu being a very hungry cat.  
  
"I don't believe it!" the Supreme Kai gasps, "its working."  
  
"Jesse's throwing every trick he can into keeping Buu after him and staying ahead of him at the same time without getting predictable," Goku says.  
  
"There's no one more dangerous than someone who is unpredictable," Kabito says with respect, "there is no telling what they will do when pushed."  
  
"Jesse is that, but he's only unpredictable to us because we don't know him that well," Goku says, "after all of this is over, he'll be wished back with the rest of Buu's victims."  
  
"But he wasn't one of Majin Buu's victims," the Supreme Kai says, "he was killed by Dabura."  
  
"We'll have to use the second wish of the Dragon Balls to go to New Namek and then hunt down their Dragon Balls with the permission of the Namekians," Goku says, "the Namekian Dragon Balls can bring back Jesse, Vegeta, and myself. I've decided to return to life. If I had known Chichi was pregnant after I had died, I would have risked another villain coming to hunt me down. But its been seven years. Every enemy that I can think of has been counted for and has already come back to get me. Even Mercenary Tao, though he didn't try to kill me. I'd say its pretty safe."  
  
Half an hour later, Majin Buu has gotten tired of chasing Majin Buu and heads back to the Lookout. Jesse was hiding and had his ki suppressed so much that Majin Buu couldn't detect it, but he couldn't detect even Majin Buu's incredible power heading back to the Lookout.  
  
Majin Buu demands that Piccolo take him to the strong ones. Piccolo does so, taking a roundabout route to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.  
  
Jesse detects Majin Buu's energy signature disappear the moment he enters the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Using the Instant Transmission, Jesse returns to the Lookout.  
  
"Whats going on?" Jesse demands.  
  
"Jesse, we thought you were dead when we detected your ki signature vanish," Krillin says.  
  
"No such luck a second time," Jesse replies grimly, "now answer my question."  
  
"Piccolo took Majin Buu into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber," Videl says, "if he destroys the door to the Time Chamber while they are still on the other side, they'll be trapped."  
  
"Sacrificing himself and the boys to stop Buu," Jesse realizes.  
  
"No, we can bring them back with the Dragon Balls," Chichi says, weeping, "but I don't want my Goten to die, even if he can be brought back with the Dragon Balls."  
  
"You have Dragon Balls here on Earth?" Jesse asks, surprised, "makes sense, with two Namekians here. Who is their creator?"  
  
"Piccolo originally created them, but now they are linked to me," Dende replies.  
  
"And what is your name?" Jesse asks.  
  
"My name is Dende," Dende replies, "I am the current Guardian of Earth."  
  
"Earth's Guardian?" Jesse gulps, "wow. Never thought I'd meet you."  
  
"Why is that?" Dende asks.  
  
"One of Earth's previous Guardians, the Guardian we had in my time, told me that the next time I met Earth's Guardian, I would die," Jesse replies.  
  
"But you're already dead," Zarvon points out.  
  
"There is another level of death beyond what Goku and I have gotten into," Jesse says, "if we die here in the mortal plain while already dead, then we are forever cast into oblivion and nothing can bring us out of it."  
  
"Well, technically you've already met Earth's Guardian," Krillin says, "Piccolo was Dende's predecessor."  
  
"Explain that to me later," Jesse says dryly.  
  
Any further conversation is interrupted by an explosion from the door to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.  
  
"Piccolo must have destroyed the door!" Yamcha realizes.  
  
"Does this mean Goten and Trunks are trapped there with that monster?" Chichi sobs.  
  
"If one of them isn't already dead," Jesse says grimly, "just the death of one of them would ruin their chances of winning. Piccolo was the only one who went in who we could afford to lose as far as fighting Buu."  
  
Once again, any further conversation is halted by a disturbance. A hole in time and space rips open in the courtyard of the Lookout. Majin Buu appears on the other side of the hole.  
  
"Uh oh," Jesse mutters, "he can rip Time and Space. Not good." Jesse quickly uses the Instant Transmission to return to Otherworld in hopes that Gohan's training was done.  
  
"Well, it seems that things are really out of hand here," the Old Kai says.  
  
"Venerable Elder Kai, is Gohan's training finished?" Jesse asks, being as polite and respectful as possible.  
  
"Yes, he just finished, I do believe," the Old Kai says.  
  
"Let's go Gohan,." Jesse says.  
  
"Wait, I want to change my outfit," Gohan says, walking up to Kabito, "Kabito, can you change my outfit to match my dad's."  
  
"Of course, Gohan," Kabito says warmly, doing so. With a shimmering of light, Gohan is garbed in a gi exactly like Goku's.  
  
"Gohan, tell your mom not to worry," Goku says, "go to New Namek and wish me and Vegeta back when this is over."  
  
"You mean it dad?" Gohan asks, tears in his eyes.  
  
"I do son," Goku replies, "now go and teach Majin Buu a lesson."  
  
"Right," Gohan says, "let's go Jesse. We have a planet to save."  
  
Gohan puts a hand on Jesse's shoulder and Jesse uses the Instant Transmission to take them back to Earth.  
  
Majin Buu is hungry. He is absolutely starving. He is prepared to turn Zarvon into a bar of chocolate when a pair of energy blasts rip through him and his tentacle. Buu looks up to see a pair of silhouettes against the sun.  
  
"Is that Goku?" Bulma gasps when she sees the gi one of the figures is wearing.  
  
Jesse and Gohan both descend upon Majin Buu rapidly and enter into a two on one against the monster.  
  
"That's Gohan!" Videl gasps.  
  
"What, but he's dead!" Krillin gasps.  
  
"I told you he was alive!" Videl cries out happily.  
  
Jesse breaks off the attack to let Gohan fight at his fullest.  
  
"That pink blob is in for it now," he chuckles sinisterly.  
  
"Jesse, is that really Gohan?" Videl asks pleadingly.  
  
"You got it," Jesse replies with a grin when he sees the emotions playing over Videl's face, "he wasn't killed, only severely injured. Kabito found the Supreme Kai and then the two of them found Gohan and took him to the world of the Kai's to do some pretty severe training. Thanks to the timely arrival of one of the Supreme Kai's ancestors, Gohan's hidden powers have been fully awakened. He doesn't even need to go Super Saiyan to increase his power dramatically. I'm not sure if he can even go Super Saiyan anymore."  
  
"His power is far greater than anything I've ever imagined," Zarvon says as he tries to keep up with Gohan's movements as he ruthlessly pounds Majin Buu.  
  
"Is that my baby?" Chichi whispers, "what happened to him? He's become a fighter, a real fighter."  
  
"Yes, his demeanor has changed a lot," Master Roshi observes, "I'd say the seriousness he is emanating comes from his Saiyan blood. Just like his father and Vegeta, he thrives on this challenge. I don't think he really wants to fight, but he's willing to die to save those he cares for."  
  
"That's the secret to his power," Jesse says, "the Old Kai has brought most of it to the fore, but the true strength of it is unable to be unlocked by anyone but Gohan. If he does and can harness the unfathomable powers within, then he would be rage incarnate. Just as Piccolo Daimou was evil incarnate, Gohan would be Rage incarnate."  
  
"That's intense," Krillin says.  
  
"None of us here comes close to Gohan's power right now," Jesse says, "even if you were to become an oozaru Super Saiyan 3, Zarvon, Gohan's power would still dwarf yours by so much it would seem like you were a bug next to him."  
  
"An oozaru Super Saiyan 3 a bug?" Zarvon gasps.  
  
"I felt how much power Gohan gained," Jesse smirks, "he's barely even tapping into it. He is tapping into whats readily available, and this alone makes him stronger than Goku was as a Super Saiyan 3."  
  
"That's surely more than enough to defeat Majin Buu," Dende exclaims.  
  
"Oh, it is," Jesse smiles, "now watch and be amazed."  
  
Gohan continues to beat hard on Majin Buu, tearing him apart like he felt he should have done to Cell seven years ago. He saw in Buu the same evil heart that was within Cell, only he did not fight just for the joy of fighting. He fought to destroy and kill. Cell fought simply for the challenge. He had wanted to test his strength. But Majin Buu only lived for the joy that came to him when he destroyed things. He did not deserve to live.  
  
While Gohan uses Majin Buu as a punching bag, another rip in Space and Time appears, this time with Gotenks and Piccolo exiting it.  
  
"All right, where's Majin Buu?" Super Saiyan 3 Gotenks demands.  
  
"You've reached Super Saiyan 3?" Zarvon asks, amazed.  
  
"Yep, now where's Buu?" SS3 Gotenks asks.  
  
"Up t here fighting Gohan," Jesse replies, pointing tow here Gohan was beating the stuffing out of Majin Buu.  
  
"Gohan's alive?" Piccolo gasps.  
  
Jesse explains. "Long story short, Supreme Kai and Kabito took him to the world of the Kai's where he pulled the legendary Z Sword out of where it was resting. Goku arrived, and between the two of them training, the Z Sword broke. An ancestor of the Supreme Kai appeared and used his power to bring all of Gohan's hidden power to the surface. I don't think he can become a Super Saiyan anymore, but I don't think he needs to. His power far surpasses Goku's as a Super Saiyan 3, and evidently the power Gotenks has as a Super Saiyan 3."  
  
"So Gohan is the most powerful being in the universe now?" Piccolo asks.  
  
"Without any question," Jesse replies, "he's barely even using a quarter of his full power right now."  
  
"A quarter!" SS3 Gotenks gapes.  
  
"Yep, a quarter," Jesse replies, "I would not be surprised if Gohan found a way to completely destroy Majin Buu. From what I can tell, Buu can return to normal after anything except a severe beating."  
  
"Gohan will win," Piccolo says, "he's always come through for us before. After all, he defeated Cell when before only Goku could even match him enough to give him any trouble."  
  
"Majin Buu is not Cell," Jesse replies, "he is a being of magic, not science and flesh and blood. Buu may very well be immortal. If necessary, I may have to use a technique I was working on to stop Dabura on him. I just don't know if I can perform it since I am dead."  
  
"What technique is that?" Piccolo asks.  
  
"The Shirubaa Bufu Kijutsu," Jesse says ominously, "my most powerful attack. It will eradicate Buu, but the price will be high."  
  
"What is the price?" Piccolo wonders.  
  
"Like the Tri Beam Cannon, the Shirubaa Bufu Kijutsu requires life force to power it," Jesse explains, "if I use it, it will drain away whatever life force from me is needed to destroy Buu."  
  
"But that could send you into oblivion!" Dende gasps.  
  
"It is a price I am more than willing to pay to stop evil," Jesse replies.  
  
"Don't worry, you won't need to use that attack," Videl says confidently, "Gohan will win. After all, he did beat Cell when no one else could."  
  
"As much as I would like to hear you brag about your boyfriend, I have much more pressing matters," Jesse says tartly as Videl blushes at the boyfriend remark, "like where is Dabura? He can sense energy signals. He can tell that Buu is fighting a power that far surpasses anything else this universe has ever seen. If he doesn't come now and try to merge with Buu, then he'll lose the chance to merge with him forever, and then he'll have no chance at the power that defeated Buu."  
  
"Maybe he's content with just ruling the Demon World," Krillin suggests.  
  
"I doubt it," Jesse snorts, "you don't know him like I do. Dabura is evil and power hungry. He's not stupid either. He can't return to the Demon World without a considerable amount of power of Babidi's magic. And with Babidi dead, there is no way he can return to the Demon World without the power merging with Buu would give him."  
  
"Gohan's fighting really good," Gotenks says in awe, "he's far stronger than I am."  
  
"You're about equal to Majin Buu, so don't cut yourself short shorty," Jesse chuckles.  
  
"Shorty?" Gotenks demands.  
  
"I must admit, the power that a Fusion between Goten and Trunks has is surprising," Jesse tells Piccolo, "achieving the level of Super Saiyan 3 after just a half an hour of training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber? Unbelievable. But I've noticed that he has an extremely childlike mind."  
  
"He also has the ambition to want to make the fight more spectacular at the cost of giving his opponent every possible chance to make a comeback," Piccolo grunts.  
  
"The naiveté of Goten and the ambition of Trunks," Jesse murmurs, "not a good combination in a warrior."  
  
"Hey, don't talk about me like I'm not here, okay?" Gotenks demands.  
  
"Sure, whatever Gotenks," Jesse chuckles, then winces after witnessing a particularly devastating punch that Gohan delivers Majin Buu.  
  
"Say Jesse, where exactly is the world of the Kai's?" Videl asks.  
  
"In Otherworld," Jesse replies, "if my abilities had enabled me to come to the world of the living, I would have been back a whole lot sooner. I was able to bring myself and Gohan here because I learned the Instant Transmission from Goku."  
  
"So that's why we couldn't sense him," Piccolo mutters, "he was in Otherworld. Only the Kai's can sense what is going on here from Otherworld."  
  
"Actually, Gohan, the Supreme Kai, Kabito, and myself all felt Goku when he powered up to Super Saiyan 3," Jesse replies, "and when it comes to observing, I have the abilities of a Kai because I was taught by a few Kai's. But its very taxing to try for the omniscience."  
  
"You can be omniscient?" Piccolo gapes.  
  
"Only for about a minute," Jesse replies, "its rarely helpful enough to try for, and I'm a total wreck for weeks afterwards."  
  
"Where did Gohan learn how to fight like that?" Videl asks, "he's totally ruthless, yet it looks like every punch and kick is perfectly calculated."  
  
"He learned it from everyone who ever taught him, including Piccolo, a bit from Krillin, and his dad, and then he perfected it against everyone he ever fought against," Jesse replies as he returns his gaze to the battle between Buu and Gohan, "but if your talking about the way he's fighting now, I'd say he's fighting like that because he is totally serious."  
  
"Wow, Gohan didn't even outmatch Cell by this much power," Krillin says excitedly, "Buu doesn't stand a chance!"  
  
"I agree," Gotenks says as the Fusion dissolves and Goten and Trunks are left standing in his place.  
  
Trunks picks up where Gotenks began. "Gohan is totally ripping Buu apart. Even we couldn't do that as a Fused Super Saiyan."  
  
"His power far surpasses yours," Jesse replies, "even as a Super Saiyan 3, you aren't as strong as Gohan was as a Super Saiyan 3. He is the single most powerful entity in the universe."  
  
"If Gohan was stronger than Buu, how was Buu able to hurt him so bad?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Super Saiyan 3 takes a lot out of a person, or so Goku told me," Jesse replies, "Gohan wasn't used to the energy drain. He dropped to Super Saiyan 2 right when Buu's energy beam hit him."  
  
"So it was just bad timing for Gohan?" Pegaro asks.  
  
Jesse nods his head. "But now his power far surpasses what he had as a Super Saiyan 3. In fact, I'd wager to say he is right now the strongest being who has ever lived."  
  
"I knew the Super Saiyans were powerful, but I never imagined they could become this strong," Piccolo says.  
  
"Technically, Gohan is no longer a Super Saiyan," Jesse says, "he's lost the ability to go Super Saiyan in exchange for power almost beyond comprehension."  
  
"So could Vegeta, Goku, or anybody become as strong as Gohan?" Videl asks.  
  
"You're asking me?" Jesse asks, "listen, I may seem knowledgeable, but you've only asked me questions within my experience. I hardly have any experience with Saiyans or Super Saiyans. The only Saiyan I had met before I got out of Limbo was Limbo's resident Super Saiyan, Brolly. And don't ask me how long he's been there. All I know is that was there when I got there and he was there when I left. Six thousand years is all I know."  
  
"Don't people get old in Limbo?" Pegaro asks.  
  
"Don't grow old, don't get hungry, don't need to crap, don't get thirsty, nothing," Jesse says flatly, "its like living in a kind of stasis, only your conscious through it all. You don't even have to sleep, though you can if you want to. On occasion I slept for a hundred years when nothing interesting was happening on Earth. Though Goku's adventures kept me entertained and hopeful for the next generation of champions of good. Only fifteen and he surpassed his old master. By the time he was eighteen he was one of the strongest fighters Earth has ever had."  
  
"Jesse, is Gohan gonna win?" Videl asks, "Majin Buu seems to keep bouncing back for more."  
  
"He does, doesn't he?" Jesse grins wryly, "to tell the truth, I'm not sure how Gohan can beat Buu. He's incredible durable. Gohan just might have to tap into his full power to stop Buu."  
  
"Tell me, if Gohan did not have this increase of power and fought Majin Buu right now, would he stand a chance as a Super Saiyan 3?" Zarvon demands.  
  
"Not sure," Jesse replies, "Goku, as a Super Saiyan 3, was stronger than Buu in terms of strength when Goku was stalling that fat tub of lard. But he was limited in how much energy he had because he was, and still is, dead."  
  
"Man, I would still feel a lot better if Goku were here," Krillin says, "having him around always makes you feel like things will be all right."  
  
"That reminds me," Jesse says, "Goku told Gohan, just before we returned, that when this was over to use the second wish with the Dragon Balls to take yourselves to New Namek to wish Vegeta, myself, and Goku back to life."  
  
"You mean it?" Chichi gasps.  
  
"You got it," Jesse chuckles, "now, leave me be. Dabura is still alive somewhere. I've gotta locate him before he finds a chance to combine with Majin Buu and take his power for himself."  
  
Jesse closes his eyes and spreads out his sense.  
  
'Okay, now Dabura should be very easy to detect since there are less than two dozen people left alive,' Jesse thinks as he checks every single power signal on the planet, 'I just have to see the differences between his life force and that of everyone else on the planet.'  
  
Quicker than thought, Jesse discovers Dabura's location.  
  
"Gohan, watch out!" Jesse yells.  
  
Dabura appears right behind Gohan, slicing him in the back with his sword and sending him careening into the Lookout. Dende moves as fast as he could to get to Gohan to start healing him.  
  
"Who are you?" Majin Buu demands.  
  
"A friend," Dabura chuckles evilly, "but neither one of us is strong enough to defeat that boy. If we combine our bodies, our power will be increased exponentially."  
  
"How do we do it?" Buu asks.  
  
"Take this," Dabura says, handing Buu a small earring.  
  
"That's a Kai Earring!" the Old Kai cries out.  
  
"What is the significance of this?" the Supreme Kai asks.  
  
"Much like the Fusion that the two boys did, when two people put on a Kai Earring, one in the right ear and the other person puts it in the left ear," the Old Kai explains, "Fusing this way yields more power than that silly Dance that you learned from the Metamoreize. However, it is permanent."  
  
"Permanent, and even more power?" Goku gulps, "that's not good. At least they aren't of a close enough power to Fuse."  
  
"That's where your wrong," the Old Kai says, "any two people can Fuse this way."  
  
"Not good," Goku grumbles, "is there any way we can stop them?"  
  
"Watch and see," the Old Kai says.  
  
"Dabura!" Jesse yells, "come down here and fight me you coward! You did a poor job of killing me, so I thought you might want a second chance!"  
  
"What, your alive?" Dabura scoffs in surprise.  
  
"That one is tricky," Buu says, "he likes to run away, but he did hurt Buu. Buu make him pay."  
  
"Pay no attention to him," Dabura says, "he's an insect compared to you, and when we join our powers he will be completely insignificant."  
  
"Why you want help Buu?" Buu demands.  
  
"Why, I live to fight and destroy as well," Dabura says with a sly grin, "together, no one in the universe would be able to stop us. Even that boy would be nothing more than a rag doll in our hands."  
  
"Buu like that idea," Buu says, "lets try."  
  
"Good," Dabura says, "now put this on your left ear."  
  
He hands Buu the Kai Earring, which has turned into a black color that seems to absorb all light. Buu puts it on his left ear. Dabura takes the other Kai Earring and prepares to put it on his right ear.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Jesse says, "Shirubaa Bufu Kijutsu!"  
  
Psychic energy gathers in the palms of Jesse's hands, illuminating them in a silver color. He clasps his wrists together, allowing the energy spheres that had formed in each hand to merge. He then moves the clasped palms to his right side them moves them out again, as if he had just launched a Kamehameha Wave. The stream of energy shoots forth, aiming for Dabura.  
  
'Yes,' Jesse thinks triumphantly, 'just as I thought. Dabura is the more evil of the two.'  
  
The attack hits Dabura in the chest and begins pushing him away from Buu. The pure energy begins to tear Dabura apart, but slowly. As it does so, Jesse can feel his own energy dwindling fast. He didn't have much left to give. He just hoped that he had enough.  
  
But he didn't. He collapses from energy exhaustion before the Shirubaa Bufu Kijutsu can destroy Buu.  
  
"That was a very nice attack, boy," Dabura says, "but as you can see, it was futile."  
  
Dabura sees that Jesse could not respond and smirks. "My my my, he used up all of his energy trying to destroy me. How foolish."  
  
Dabura takes the blacked Kai Earring and puts it on his right ear. Instantly, he and Majin Buu are being pulled together. The two collide and a brilliant flash of light envelopes the sky.  
  
"Ack, that foolish boy!" Old Kai rants, "he should have known that he didn't have enough energy to destroy Dabura. He was much too powerful. Perhaps if he was fresh as a daisy, he might have been able to pull it off, not to mention being alive, but as he was there was no way he could have destroyed Dabura."  
  
"And now he and Majin Buu are merging bodies," Goku says, "how long does this form of Fusion last again?"  
  
"Forever," the Old Kai fumes, "and their combined power will be too much for Gohan to handle."  
  
"So it's hopeless now?" Goku asks.  
  
"Not if you take these," the Old Kai says, removing his earrings and handing them to Goku, "you go to Earth and fuse with your son. Since you have Dragon Balls on Earth, you can use their power to split you apart. Or you can go to Namek. It does not matter. Now go!"  
  
"But, I'm dead and I've already used my day to go to Earth," Goku says.  
  
"Well, I shall give you my life then," the Old Kai says, "since I am a Kai, I will be able to keep my body here in Otherworld when I die."  
  
"Venerable Elder, you must not do this!" Kabito cries out.  
  
"I can if I want to," the Old Kai says, waving off Kabito's remark, "this has to be done. A Kai must know when to make the big sacrifices."  
  
The Old Kai closes his eyes and then slumps to the ground. The halo over Goku's head vanishes and one appears over the Old Kai's head.  
  
"Thank you, Elder Kai," Goku says softly, "I will not forget your sacrifice."  
  
"But Goku, who are you gonna Fuse with?" the Supreme Kai asks.  
  
"Gohan would be the most logical choice, but if it is possible I guess I'll fuse with Jesse," Goku says, "after all, it could very well save his life, or rather, his chance at regaining his life."  
  
"Goku, here, take this," Supreme Kai says, handing Goku a small bean. It looked like a senzu bean, only it was blue in color.  
  
"What is this, Supreme Kai?" Goku asks.  
  
"It is like those senzu beans you have on Earth, only it will restore the energy of a dead person," Supreme Kai explains, "Kabito created them."  
  
"Thank you," Goku smiles, "this very well may save Jesse's life."  
  
With that, Goku vanishes in the Instant Transmission.  
  
The light slowly fades from the fusion. In the place of Majin Buu and Dabura stands a new evil entity. His outfit was like Dabura's, only minus the cape and the pants were baggier, like Buu's. And the outfit itself was black. Solid black. He was muscular and his skin was blood red. His face resembled Dabura's, but the eyes were as cold and lifeless as Majin Buu's had been. On his ears were the two corrupted Kai Earrings.  
  
The new being slowly turns to face the assembled Z Warriors and their family and friends. In a voice that sounded like a purely twisted combination of Majin Buu and Dabura, he speaks. "I AM DABUU!"  
  
~~  
  
Sorry about cutting this chapter short when I so obviously could have gone on more, but my connection stinks so I can't upload large documents at the moment. This is about as large a document as I dare to upload. But not to worry. The next chapter should be out soon. How soon, I am not sure. It depends on how long it will take me to find a picture of Gogeta (the Fusion Dance Fusion of Goku and Vegeta) since Vegito will not be making an appearance in this fic. Or if he does, it will be brief. I haven't thought that much about Vegito because of the way things are moving in this story. Heck, Vegeta might not appear again at all until they go to New Namek to make a wish with the Namekian Dragon Balls.  
  
Still, I am looking for a pic of Gogeta because I will need to describe him if he does appear, and I simply want to know what he looks like for any future DBZ fics.  
  
Well, please review. 


	13. Chapter Twelve: The Horror of Dabuu and ...

Dabuu scans the assembled Z Warriors with his eyes. They were no challenge for him now. Not even the boy. The Saiyan with immeasurable power. Dabuu grins maliciously as he eyes the only one who was close to a worthy opponent. The other boy, Jesse, was unconscious on the floor of the Lookout, almost totally drained of energy. The young Namek moves to heal the boy. Dabuu lets him, knowing that he could not turn the tide against him.  
  
"Fuuuu sion! Ha!" Goten and Trunks perform the Fusion Dance and immediately power up to Super Saiyan 3.  
  
"Ah, Gotenks, so nice of you to join us," Dabuu chuckles, "too bad you are no challenge for me. You are no challenge for me either, Gohan. Now, if you will all stand still, I will make your deaths quick and painless."  
  
"I'll destroy you, Majin Buu," Gotenks declares, "I was only playing around with you before. Now I'm at my greatest. You don't stand a chance."  
  
"Then come on," Dabuu says nonchalantly, "test your strength against my unstoppable might."  
  
"You got it," Gotenks says and takes off, careening at Dabuu. The two Fused warriors enter into a fierce battle.  
  
'Gotenks isn't taking this seriously,' Gohan thinks, 'and he's no match for Dabuu. Even if Dabuu was merely Buu's power plus Dabura's, he far exceeds Gotenks' power. He's too strong for even me to take on. We're screwed.'  
  
"Gohan, aren't you gonna help him?" Videl asks.  
  
"There's not much even I can do," Gohan says, "even I don't have the power to defeat Dabuu. But if Gotenks can hurt him enough, I might stand a chance. Or at least weaken him enough for someone else to destroy him."  
  
"But what if they get killed while fighting?" Chichi demands, "you can't let Goten die, Gohan!"  
  
"Don't you think I know that?" Gohan snaps, surprising everyone. No one had ever heard Gohan raise his voice to his mother. No one thought he even had the courage to do it. Few people did. "But I have to think of the big picture! No one else in the entire universe has the power to stop Majin Buu! Few even had the power to stand up to Frieza ten years ago, and none had the power to stand up against Dabura. And Dabuu is even more powerful than everything any of us have ever faced combined. Cell, Frieza, Majin Buu, none of them alone holds a candle to Dabuu. We have to fight smart. And if that means that Goten and Trunks die to weaken him, then it must be done. I hate this possibly even more than you do, but they are Super Saiyans. Saiyans from Earth always rise to the occasion, no matter what."  
  
Everyone was taken aback by Gohan's speech. Whatever training he had undergone in Otherworld had turned him to be less a child who was just being thrust into battle and more like the true warrior his father had always seen him as.  
  
'Kid, you have definitely changed,' Piccolo thinks as he gazes at Gohan, 'you're no longer the crybaby I trained so long ago. You're face, its changed, but that's not it. Its your demeanor. You are so much like your father now. You wear his colors, you have his battle expression on your face, and you know his attack. But you are still your own person. A scholar and a warrior all rolled into one. You make me proud'  
  
Zarvon stares in awe as Gotenks and Dabuu battle one another ferociously. Dabuu's technique was flawless, and Gotenks' technique was beyond the years of either of his components. But Gotenks still lacked the attitude of a Saiyan entering a true battle that would test his abilities to their fullest. But he could not allow his travesty to continue. His Saiyan honor would not allow him to be saved by a mere child, even if he was a Super Saiyan 3. He powers up to Super Saiyan 3 himself, not realizing it consciously.  
  
"Zarvon, don't," Goha warns softly, "you don't have the power needed to do it. You are not strong enough to beat Dabuu. Just wait. If Gotenks and I fail, you will have the power needed to stop him. Buu could regenerate perfectly unless he was totally incinerated. Dabura was mortal, for all his Demon nature. But together, while their power may be all but unstoppable, neither has an infinite well of power to draw from. Dabuu has a limited supply of power, just like us. When it is drained, he will have to rest and heal just like we would. He may be able to regenerate limbs and the like and still seem immortal, but now, to me, he's like a far more powerful version of Cell, though he doesn't have everyone's techniques."  
  
At that moment Gotenks takes a terrible blow to the face from Dabuu, who capitalizes on his new advantage by striking relentlessly. Gotenks is soon knocked back down to the Lookout and goes right through it.  
  
"That had to hurt," Yamcha says, wincing at the damage done to the Lookout.  
  
Dende finishes healing Jesse. Jesse stands up and immediately raises his head to look at Dabuu.  
  
"He's more powerful and more evil than I ever imagined," Jesse says softly, "and there is nothing I can do to stop him. Nothing any of us can do to stop him."  
  
At that moment, Goku arrives.  
  
"Dad!" Gohan cries out, rushing to his now-living father.  
  
"Goku!" the others cry out, rushing over to the living hero.  
  
"Dad, I thought your time in this world was up," Gohan says, "how did you get back?"  
  
"The Old Kai gave his life to return my life to me," Goku explains, "that, and he gave me these."  
  
Goku holds up the Kai Earrings.  
  
"Dad, those look a lot like the earrings Dabura used to Fuse with Majn Buu," Gohan says.  
  
"These are Kai Earrings," Goku explains, "using them, two warriors can Fuse. Its more powerful than the Fusion Dance, and it doesn't have to be between two equal warriors of similar size and physical ability."  
  
"That's great dad," Gohan says, "you and I can use them and crush Dabuu."  
  
"There's just one problem," Goku says hesitantly, "the Fusion with the earrings is permanent."  
  
"Permanent?" Gohan gulps. He dearly loved his dad, but he couldn't fuse with him forever. Videl wouldn't like it, and he was certain that his mom wouldn't. Goten might like it though. He had always seen Gohan as a father figure anyway.  
  
At that moment, Gotenks bursts up at Dabuu and begins battling him again.  
  
"Is that Gotenks?" Goku asks, surprised, "wow, he's a Super Saiyan 3! Incredible!"  
  
"Dad, what use are the earrings if the fusion is permanent?" Gohan asks, "the two who use them will be lost forever."  
  
"We can always use the Dragon Balls to separate them," Goku replies.  
  
"So, who's gonna Fuse?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"The most logical choices would be Gohan and Goku," Jesse points out, "they are the strongest we got. And Gohan was far stronger than Majin Buu, and Goku was far stronger than Dabura. You would totally overwhelm Dabuu."  
  
"And who would our next choice for Fusion be?" Chich asks, not liking the idea of Goku and Gohan Fusing.  
  
"Well, one of us would have to be in the Fusion for it to have a chance at being strong enough to beat Dabuu," Goku points out.  
  
"The next best choice would be Zarvon, then Piccolo, then me," Jesse says, "though I'm not sure how Fusing a living person with a dead guy would work."  
  
"Well with the Fusion Dance it would have worked, because I could have fused with either Gohan or Vegeta," Goku says, "so logically it isn't a problem with the Kai Earrings."  
  
"Well, my baby isn't getting his ears pierced!" Chichi says adamantly.  
  
"No problem Chichi," Goku says, unperturbed, "they're clip ons."  
  
He holds one of the earrings up for Chichi to inspect. "See?"  
  
Chichi inspects the earring then scowls. "Goku, you and Gohan are not Fusing if it is permanent and that's that!"  
  
"But we could use the Dragon Balls to separate us!" Goku whines.  
  
"Actually, there's no telling if the Dragon Balls can unfuse us with the earrings," Gohan points out, "and besides, we need to save a wish to bring Jesse back to life since he was killed by Dabura and not Majin Buu."  
  
"No need to waste a wish on me," Jesse says.  
  
"Wait, we need to go to New Namek anyway if we're gonna wish Vegeta back to life," Bulma says, "we can use our second wish with Earth's Dragon Balls to get to New Namek and use their Dragon Balls to unfuse whoever uses the earrings and then bring Jesse and Vegeta back to life!"  
  
"We don't need to use the second wish Bulma," Goku points out, "I'm alive now and I can still use the Instant Transmission even while Fused. Or at least I'm pretty sure I can."  
  
"Um, Gotenks is getting pretty beat up up there," Krillin points out, "mind taking care of this now before he gets killed?"  
  
"Hey, wait a minute!" Goku gasps, "Gohan, do you sense that?"  
  
"It's Vegeta!" Gohan gasps, "but how?"  
  
"King Yemma must have sent him to help!" Goku says excitedly, "maybe he would Fuse with one of us."  
  
"It would have to be you or Gohan that he Fuses with for the Fusion to be strong enough," Piccolo says, "and something tells me that Vegeta already refused to do the Fusion Dance with you Goku, so I doubt he would Fuse with you if the Fusion is permanent."  
  
"Hmm, your right," Goku says sadly, "ee even refused to Fuse with Gohan when I suggested it."  
  
"Then what do we do?" Jesse asks, "because I seriously doubt anyone involved will be happy with a Fusion between any of you three."  
  
"Well, it seems that Vegeta is on his way," Goku says, "but I'm really stumped on what to do."  
  
"Um, if I'm not mistaken Gotenks it just about done now," Jesse says. Three seconds later a battered and beaten Goten and Trunks smash into the Lookout.  
  
"Well, that went well," Zarvon mutters sarcastically.  
  
"Jesse, how strong would you say you are compared to us?" Gohan asks, getting an idea.  
  
"Not strong enough for a Fusion Dance with any of you, but that isn't a problem with the Kai Earrings," Jesse says thoughtfully, "but if I were to do a Fusion with anyone for it to be strong enough to beat Dabuu I would have to Fuse with Gohan. The differences in our power would even out and likely make us Dabuu's equal, with maybe a slight difference in power either making us stronger or weaker. Not that it would matter. The difference would be minute. I've seen Fusions with the Kai Earrings before. Almost underwent one myself once. Glad I didn't have too. Once someone Fuses with the Kai Earrings, even though the Fusion is known to the permanent, they can't Fuse again under any form. Except Nameks but they don't need to Fuse like that. They have their own methods. Which are, by my point of view, superior to the Kai Earring Fusion. At least then you don't have the creepy double-voice."  
  
Zarvon chuckles at that. "That double-voice Gotenks has is pretty creepy."  
  
"Imagine being around ten people with voices like that?" Jesse says, "some of them naturally that way."  
  
Pegaro's spine shivers at the thought of such a thing.  
  
"So, if all else fails Jesse and I will Fuse?" Gohan asks.  
  
"Let's see what Vegeta thinks first," Jesse says, "I'd really rather not Fuse unless its necessary. There's no telling what a Fusion between a dead guy and a living person will do. Nothing like it has ever happened before. Maybe Vegeta will actually consent to do the Fusion Dance with Goku. After all, as long as Goku doesn't go Super Saiyan 3, his power level and Vegeta's are pretty much identical. And since Vegeta is a really experienced fighter, he can probably do the Fusion Dance perfectly if he wants to without practice."  
  
"So we just have to wait for Vegeta?" Krillin asks skeptically.  
  
"Yep," Jesse says.  
  
"Okay, so how do we keep Dabuu busy while we wait for him?" Krillin demands.  
  
"Since Dabuu's personality is mostly Dabura's, but with the twisted nature of Majin Buu, he'd just love to torture me," Jesse says grimly, "and that is exactly what he's about to have a chance to do."  
  
With that, Jesse raises his arms and begins gathering energy. Energy from all over the planet comes to him much as if he was forming a Spirit Bomb.  
  
"Jesse, you know how to do the Spirit Bomb?" Goku asks incredulously.  
  
After the energy is gathered, Jesse shakes his head. "Kinda. This is a spin off of that technique. You're about to see the two trademark techniques of the North Kai merged. Spirit Aura!"  
  
With that, a strange aura forms around Jesse. His power level shoots up incredibly high, but there seems to be a purity in it not seen before. Purity like the energy of a Spirit Bomb.  
  
"You want me Dabuu, come and get me!" Jesse yells as he blasts off and rams into Dabuu. The moment they make contact Dabuu's skin smokes where Jesse had touched him.  
  
"Incredible!" Piccolo gapes, "he's formed an aura around him that works just like the Spirit Bomb. Its like he's sheathed in some sort of anti-evil barrier that might even make up for his lack of power when fighting Dabuu."  
  
"If he could teach you or me that technique dad we might not need the Fusion," Gohan says.  
  
"I think going Super Saiyan 3 would ruin the effects of that technique," Goku says, "remember, it takes rage to transform into a Super Saiyan or an Ascended Super Saiyan and you have to be able to become a regular Super Saiyan to even have a chance at going level 3. The rage would offset that technique. It might work for you though. Or maybe Piccolo. Namek's are benign anyway. Piccolo was the lone exception, and that merely turned out to be temporary."  
  
"Not temporary Goku," Piccolo says, "its just that things changed."  
  
"Wow, Jesse's really going at it with Dabuu," Pegaro says as he watches the fight, "though it seems like he's wearing himself out."  
  
"Dende, can you heal Goten and Trunks?" Gohan asks. The young Namekian Guardian was already healing the young Super Saiyans.  
  
"Hey look, there's Vegeta!" Zarvon cries out as he spots his prince arriving at the Lookout."  
  
Vegeta lands on the Lookout. "Kakarott, what are you doing here?" Vegeta demands, "and where's you're halo?"  
  
"An Old Kai gave his life to give me mine back so I could come and help," Goku says seriously, "Vegeta, Dabura and Majin Buu have Fused to become Dabuu. Unfortunately, the way they have Fused is permanent. We might be able to split them up with the Dragon Balls, but we don't have time."  
  
Everyone else looks at Goku, stunned. Not a single one of them had even thought of trying to get the Dragon balls together to use a wish to split Dabuu back into Majin Buu and Dabura. Despite his naïve appearance, Goku really wasn't stupid.  
  
"So what are we gonna do Kakarott?" Vegeta demands.  
  
"Well, you and I could perform the Fusion Dance and our combined power would enable us to trash Dabuu," Goku says, "when Goten and Trunks Fuse into Gotenks, their power is equal to mine or yours at any level."  
  
"What about the brat?" Vegeta demands, indicating Gohan, "what about him? Why don't you do the Fusion Dance with him?"  
  
"Because I've gotten a lot stronger," Gohan explains, "my power is second only to Dabuu's. Majin Buu was even less to me than Cell was seven years ago. But now that he and Dabura have Fused, their power is way too much."  
  
"Come on Vegeta, we need your help," Goku pleads.  
  
"Kakarott, I still refuse to do that idiotic dance with you," Vegeta snaps, "its humiliating. I refuse to have anything to do with you!"  
  
Goku was thoroughly surprised. "What? Why?"  
  
"You allowed me to believe that I could beat you!" Vegeta yells, hesitating at the last two words, "Kakarott, I know your little secret. I know all about you being able to go Super Saiyan 3."  
  
"But I couldn't hold it for very long, it was too draining when I was dead," Goku whimpers.  
  
"It doesn't matter!" Vegeta roars, "just a few seconds as a Super Saiyan 3 would have enabled you to crush me like a bug!"  
  
"Vegeta, you didn't seem too upset when Gohan went Super Saiyan 3," Goku says.  
  
"Tha tis because I've gotten used to the brat surpassing me," Vegeta snarls, "he has a special power. No amount of training can compete with that. But you. Power may come more naturally to you than it does to me, and you may have a gift that far exceeds my own, but you I can beat. You are the only one I want to beat. And I want to beat you in fair and honest combat."  
  
"Vegeta, work with Goku!" Bulma yells, "quite being so pig-headed!"  
  
"Quiet woman!" Vegeta yells, "this is between me and Kakarott! Time and again he has destroyed my pride. You have said that I am the prince of a dead race, and this is true. I only cling to that because it is the only true tie to my past that I can allow myself or the years under Frieza would have broken me. I refuse to work with Kakarott. Ever."  
  
"Vegeta, I'm sorry if I hurt your pride," Goku says seriously, "but is this really the time to argue about it? Are you really willing to risk the lives of your son and Bulma just to salve your ego?"  
  
Vegeta glares at Goku. 'Curse him, he's right. There is no honor in refusing to help. But that dance is so humiliating.'  
  
"All right Kakarott," Vegeta says, his voice bristling with hostility towards the younger Saiyan, "but must we do that dance?"  
  
"We can Fuse with these earrings, but it might be permanent," Goku says, showing the prince the Kai Earrings, "but there is a good chance that the Dragon Balls can split a person Fused in this matter back into its original parts."  
  
"Join with you permanently?" Vegeta demands, eyes filled with rage, "never!"  
  
At that moment Jesse is knocked down into the Lookout, battered and beaten.  
  
"Vegeta, unless you want to risk being Fused forever, the Fusion Dance is the only way," Goku says calmly, "it only lasts for thirty minutes. After that we will split apart. If Goten and Trunks became as strong as we are by Fusing, then think of how powerful we'll become when we Fuse."  
  
"All right clown, I'll do it," Vegeta says, "I'll do that idiotic dance with you."  
  
"Right, now lets go to our max," Goku says, powering up to an Ascendant Super Saiyan. Vegeta does the same. It doesn't take them long to even out their power levels. Vegeta's power level was just slightly higher than Goku's but not obviously so.  
  
"Fuuu," the two Saiyans begin as they move in perfect unison. Apparently Vegeta remembered the Dance from when Goku had demonstrated it to him.  
  
"Sion!" The two Ascendant Super Saiyans move in sharp and perfect harmony.  
  
"Haaaa!" A flash of blinding light erupts from the two Saiyans as the power of the Fusion Dance takes effect.  
  
Dabuu looks down in amusement as he sees someone else try the Fusion Dance. He didn't immediately recognize who the two Fusing were, but he was confident that he could crush their Fusion. After all, he was the supreme being in all the universe. The most powerful being to ever live.  
  
As the light fades, instead of two Ascendant Super Saiyans a single Ascendant Super Saiyan stands. His outfit was exactly like Gotenks, but it was of a darker color. The Fused Ascendant Super Saiyan mostly had Goku's looks, but that was a slightly roughness to his features that was obviously part Vegeta.  
  
"Dabuu, your time is up!" the new Fused Warrior declares with his eerie double-voice, "I am Gogeta and you don't stand a chance against me."  
  
"We shall see about that, Saiyan," Dabuu growls, making Saiyan into a severe insult, "you Saiyans are nothing more than monkey's."  
  
"Dabuu, you'll pay for what you've done," Gogeta says, "I'll make sure of it."  
  
~~~  
  
Will Gogeta be strong enough to take out Dabuu? Probably.Will he have enough time to destroy Dabuu? Maybe. Will Hercule show up and save the day? Not a chance. Will Gohan and Jesse have to use the Kai Earrings to Fuse after Dende heals Jesse if Gogeta fails? Only if Gogeta fails.  
  
Stay tuned. The next chapter will really knock your socks off. And, as always, please review. I want to know what my readers think. 


	14. Chapter Thirteen: The War of Fusions Da...

I am so sorry for not having this chapter out sooner! This story is winding down, though there will be a sequel, which is already being planned. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Some pretty big battles take place and there's a surprise at the end.  
  
~~  
  
Gogeta and Dabuu stare each other down. Gogeta's power level was incredible. It totally dwarfed Dabuu's level. And he had the combined fighting knowledge of two of the greatest warriors to ever live and you had the ultimate warrior. Now there was only one question left: what kind of personality combination would emerge in Gogeta? Goten's naiveté and Trunks cockiness had made Gotenks arrogant and insufferable and extremely foolish. In fact, he appeared to be a younger version of Vegeta. Then again, he was half-way Vegeta's son.  
  
But it appeared that the Z Warriors had lucked out in Gogeta's attitude. He looked to have Goku's straightforwardness and determination and Vegeta's ruthlessness in battle. And with Gogeta at his Super Saiyan 2 form, Dabuu didn't even stand a chance.  
  
Gogeta tears through Dabuu with breakneck speed, shredding his body with every punch and shredding him more before he can reform.  
  
"Wow, no mercy!" Krillin cheers as Gogeta attacks.  
  
"Guys, Jesse's fallen unconscious," Pegaro says. Everyone turns to look at Jesse who had collapsed. He looked even worse than Goku had when he had depleted his energy to stall Majin Buu.  
  
"This isn't good," Gohan says, "does anyone here know how to take Jesse to Otherworld? He'll feel fine once he gets back."  
  
"But then he'll be stuck there until we can wish him back with the Dragon Balls on Namek," Bulma says.  
  
"Better than passing into oblivion," Piccolo says, "Dende, take him to King Yemma's court and tell him to keep him there."  
  
"I don't know how Piccolo," Dende says, "you haven't gotten around to teaching me that."  
  
Piccolo curses softly.  
  
"What'll happen if Jesse passes into oblivion?" Videl asks.  
  
"No one really knows," Piccolo says, "very few have passed into oblivion."  
  
"Hey, whats that?" Zarvon asks, spying something on the ground.  
  
Gohan picks it up. "It looks like a Senzu bean, but its blue."  
  
The Old Kai's voice pops up in Gohan's head. "Give that to Jesse. It works like a Senzu bean, but it works on the deceased. We gave it to Goku, but it must have slipped out of his pocket. He seemed to forget to give it to him to save him. Give it to him quickly or he's done for."  
  
"Thanks Old Kai," Gohan says out loud. Everyone looks at him strangely. He replies easily. "The Old Kai just contacted me telepathically. He said this bean is like a Senzu for dead people."  
  
Gohan quickly pops the blue bean into Jesse's mouth. He forces his friend to chew and swallow. Seconds later Jesse opens his eyes.  
  
"Thanks Gohan," Jesse says, "what happened?"  
  
"You depleted your energy, so we gave you a special bean that works like a Senzu bean," Gohan replies.  
  
"Senzu bean?" Jesse asks, "whats that?"  
  
"It completely restores a person energy and health," Gohan replies, "remember? I gave one to Videl at the tournament."  
  
Jesse nods. "Oh yeah. Those things are little miracle workers."  
  
"Hey look at Gogeta go!" Zarvon exclaims. Everyone returns their attention to the fight.  
  
Gogeta was still ripping Dabuu into itty-bitty pieces.  
  
"If he keeps that up, he'll win," Jesse says, "we just might get out of this alive."  
  
"Dabuu is quite strong," Gohan says, "far stronger than either Majin Buu or Dabura. Gogeta is really tearing him apart."  
  
"Oh no," Jesse says, his face suddenly turning milky white.  
  
"What is it?" Gohan asks.  
  
"Goku was a bit stronger than Majin Buu when he was a Super Saiyan 3," Jesse says, "and Vegeta was a bit stronger than Dabura as a Super Saiyan 2. Now Buu and Dabura have Fused into Dabuu, their power is incredible. But the same can be said for Gogeta. But the power of Gogeta, in the Fused state of Goku and Vegeta at Super Saiyan 2, should not be enough to annihilate Dabuu like this. Even at his best, Gogeta and Dabuu should only be about equal."  
  
At that instant, Dabuu reforms and grabs Gogeta's hands, holding them in place. Everyone except for Jesse look on in shock.  
  
"Whats going on?" Gogeta demands.  
  
"You didn't hear the boy, did you?" Dabuu sneers, "even at your best, you should only be my equal, maybe a little stronger. I truly have been toying with you this entire time. You're the only one who can offer me any entertainment. But now I'm bored. I guess its time to dispose of you."  
  
Dabuu immediately begins fighting back against Gogeta on an even footing. The two Fused warriors begin battling it out in the most spectacular fight ever seen.  
  
Gogeta blocks a vicious punch by Dabuu and counters with a kick to the midsection. He then hits Dabuu in the gut with his left fist and follows it up with a powerful blow to the back of the head.  
  
"Dabuu is just too strong," Gohan says, "he's stronger than Gogeta is and since Gogeta can't become a Super Saiyan 3, he doesn't stand a chance."  
  
"Gohan, I have an idea," Jesse says, "how long do you think you, Gogeta, Gotenks, and Zarvon can hold him still?"  
  
"Maybe ten minutes," Gohan says after some brief mental calculations, "why?"  
  
"Remember the attack I used on your father at the Tenkaichi Budoukai?" Jesse asks.  
  
"The Dragon Cannon?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"The one and the same," Jesse grins.  
  
"That just might work," Gohan says, "Goten, Trunks, Fuse now. Zarvon, go up and tell Gogeta whats going on while I hold Dabuu off for a bit. I just hope I have what it takes to hold him off long enough."  
  
"You got it," Zarvon says as he power sup to Super Saiyan 3 and takes off while Gohan goes and engages Dabuu. Goten and Trunks perform the Fusion Dance and become Gotenks, immediately powering up to Super Saiyan 3.  
  
Jesse prepares himself for his best attack, the Drain Cannon. He jabs downwards with both hands, then spreads his fingers wide. He then folds the ring and pinkie fingers inwards and pushes the index and middle fingers together and motions towards himself with the fingers. He then motions them outwards and closes them into fists. He then spreads his fingers up his hand so that the tips of his fingers were touching the joints on the palm of his hand. He then opens his hands flat and presses them flat together to his right side like the Kamehameha.  
  
Gogeta, Zarvon, and Gotenks see this and immediately launch themselves at Dabuu. They each grab an limb along with Gohan. Jesse opens his eyes, showing them to be glowing a vibrant sky blue. A small aura of the same color appears around dabuu, freezing him in place, stopping him from using any of the dexterity that came from having Majin Buu be a part of him to slip out of their grasps.  
  
"Target Track!" Jesse yells, moving his hands out in front of him and opening his middle fingers. A beam of intense white light erupts from the space between his ring and index fingers and hits Dabuu, locking onto the center of his chest.  
  
An orb of energy forms within Jesse's hands. He pushes as much power as possible into the attack, straining to make it take away more than the designed fifty percent.  
  
"Drain Cannon!" Jesse yells as he launches his most lethal attack by opening his ring and index fingers. The orb launches out from between his thumbs and pinkies and moves along the white beam and hits Dabuu square in the chest.  
  
A brilliant white explosion erupts nanoseconds after Gogeta, Gohan, Gotenks, and Zarvon let go of Dabuu so they don't run the risk of getting caught in the attack.  
  
As the light fades, it reveals a haggard looking Dabuu. It appeared that the Drain Cannon had more of an effect on him that it should have. Jesse supposed that he had managed to sap away almost eighty perfect of Dabuu's strength. Even he could conceivably take him down now, though he didn't want to risk it.  
  
"Your done now Dabuu," Gogeta says solemnly, "almost any fighter here can beat you now. Your through."  
  
"Wh what have you done to me?" Dabuu demands.  
  
"That attack sapped away more than half of your strength," Zarvon says with a grin, "your power has been significantly lowered. Even the weakest of the strongest, Jesse, can beat you now."  
  
"Gee, thanks," Jesse mutters sarcastically, "I've already made my contribution."  
  
"You think you've won?" Dabuu demands, "we shall see!"  
  
With that, he spits on Gotenks. Gotenks immediately turns into a pink goo that Dabuu immediately absorbs into himself. His outfit changes to match more of what Gotenks had been wearing. He then spits and hits Gogeta, absorbing him as well. His outfit darkens in color to match Gogeta's outfit.  
  
"No, Gotenks, Gogeta!" Gohan cries out.  
  
Dabuu spits again, trying to hit Gohan, but Zarvon leaps in front of the spit and is immediately absorbed instead.  
  
"NOO!!!" Gohan yells as he sees his friend, his father and Vegeta, and his little brother and Trunks become part of the terrible Dabuu. However, his power only increases to his previous maximum due to lack of strength he had had before absorbing them.  
  
~In Otherworld~  
  
The Supreme Kai, Kabito, and the Old Kai all look on in horror as three of the best hopes for stopping Dabuu are absorbed into the very monster he had been trying to stop.  
  
"Wh-what happened?" the Old Kai asks, "I know Buu could absorb people, but I thought he had to turn them into chocolate or something. Is this some difference due to him now being part of a Fusion?"  
  
"No, this is the original way that Majin Buu absorbed people," the Supreme Kai says, "this is how he absorbed the South Supreme Kai and the Dai Kaio."  
  
"What?" the Old Kai yelps, "if your South Supreme Kai and Dai Kaio were anything like the ones I knew, then how could he possibly overpower them?  
  
"He got them both by trickery," the Supreme Kai says, "when he first attacked, the beautiful West Supreme Kai was the first to fight him. It was a battle to the death that she lost. She fought valiantly, but futilely in the end. Next was the wise and skilled North supreme Kai. He was Jesse's mentor during the Demon Wars. Those two were like a father and son the way they fought alongside each other and cared for each other. Sadly, even his mighty sword could not cut down the evil that was Majin Buu."  
  
"So that explains how Jesse came about so much power," the Old Kai mumbles, "he was trained by the North Supreme Kai."  
  
"Yes," the Supreme Kai says, "and next to fight was the South Supreme Kai. He was the sturdiest and strongest of us four Supreme Kai's. He fought Majin Buu with brute force. And he overpowered him too. He ripped Buu's left arm off. But then Buu used that severed arm to absorb him. At that, he transformed into a hulking monster. That was when it was my turn to fight. I was young and inexperienced then, newly come to being a Supreme Kai. The former East Supreme Kai perished at the hands of Demos at the start of the Demon Wars. I had to learn fast or perish myself. Right when I thought it was my end, Dai Kaio appeared and saved me. He showed more power than I had ever seen him use against anyone, even Dabura and Demos."  
  
"He may have been pushing every bit of his strength into those attacks," the Old Kai says.  
  
"Yes, he may have been," the Supreme Kai says, "Dai Kaio split him into hundreds of pieces. I thought for sure that he was finished, but then those pieces came together and surrounded the Dai Kaio. He was absorbed and then the fat Buu that first appeared on Earth was formed."  
  
"I see," the Old Kai says, "by absorbing the Dai Kaio and the South Supreme Kai, he actually weakened himself because of the way their powers conflicted with his."  
  
"Yes, I see," Kabito says, "it was ingenious for the Dai Kaio to sacrifice himself like that, but without any of the other Supreme Kai's you could not defeat Majin Buu master."  
  
"No, I couldn't, and none of the deceased warriors on the Grand Kai's planet could either," the Supreme Kai replies, "in fact, only three ever came close to that level. Olibu, Pikkon, and Goku."  
  
"Don't forget Vegeta and that guy those Earthlings fought seven years ago," the Old Kai says, "the one Goku was telling us about. Cell I believe his name was."  
  
"Yes, this Cell was supposed to be as strong as Dabura was, or very close to it," the Supreme Kai says, "but still only Goku and Gohan have come close to matching Majin Buu's true power."  
  
"How close have they come to his power?" the Old Kai asks.  
  
"I'm not sure," the Supreme Kai admits, "they are both tremendously powerful, but I'm not sure if we've seen Gohan's full power yet."  
  
"To tell the truth, I'm not sure if we have either," the Old Kai says, "his hidden power was very stubborn."  
  
"Well, Jesse did say Gohan had something called "the Rage"," Kabito says.  
  
"The Rage?!" the Old Kai exclaims, "if that's so, then his potential is limitless, more so than any other Saiyan to ever live! He can increase his power far more than a mere Super Saiyan transformation or his Mystic power that I have unlocked! If he harnesses the Rage, then his power will reach levels the universe has never seen and will likely never see again!"  
  
"Is the Rage truly that strong, esteemed elder?" the Supreme Kai asks.  
  
"The Rage is quite possibly the greatest force in the universe," the Old Kai says, "if an ordinary Earthling fighter, like young Gohan's friend Videl, used the Rage to its fullest, she could obliterate Dabuu with a wave of her hand."  
  
"How can that be?" the Supreme Kai demands, "how could such a force exist?"  
  
"I do not know," the Old Kai says, "but it does exist and we just might be able to use it to stop Dabuu."  
  
~On Earth~  
  
The newly empowered Dabuu looks at Gohan with a derisive sneer. "You see, boy? Do you see the power that I command?"  
  
Gohan settles into a fighting stance. "I do see it, and I'll be honest. You are a lot stronger than I am. But that does not mean I'll just leave the Earth and the rest of the universe at your mercy. I will destroy you. I've faced odds like this before and triumphed. And besides, you only have ten more minutes until Gogeta's Fusion wears off. With the loss of that much power, we'll be equal until Gotenks' Fusion wears off. When that happens, you're mine."  
  
"We shall see," Dabuu says.  
  
"Gohan!" Jesse yells, "here, catch!"  
  
Jesse throws one of the two Kai Earrings at Gohan, who easily catches it.  
  
"Left ear!" Jesse yells, pointing to the Earring on his right ear.  
  
"Are you sure?" Gohan yells.  
  
"Don't worry, I know a few tricks to deal with undoing the Fusion!" Jesse yells, "and there's always the Dragon Balls!"  
  
"Right," Gohan says as he quickly attaches the Kai Earring to his right ear.  
  
"What?!" Dabuu gasps. He had forgotten about them having a pair of Kai Earrings to use. "NOOOOO!!!!"  
  
Gohan and Jesse are quickly pulled together. A blinding flash of light ensues.  
  
As the light fades, a single new warrior stands in their place. He had Gohan's hairstyle, though it was more like the hair style he had when he was when he was fighting Nappa and Vegeta, with a few dark brown highlights that matched Jesse's hair color. His facial features were more Gohan than Jesse, but you could easily see them both behind the dark eyes. His outfit was largely like the on Gohan had been wearing, but the gi pants were white and loose, like the ones Jesse had been wearing. On his ears hung the two Kai Earrings.  
  
"Dabuu, it is time for your destruction," the new Fused warrior says with the dual voices of Gohan and Jesse, with Gohan's being a bit more prevalent.  
  
"And what is your name?" Dabuu asks out of curiosity.  
  
The Fused warrior thinks for a moment. "Call me Jehan." (A/N: Just take the letters from the name and pronounce them the way they are pronounced in their original names to get how this name sounds.)  
  
"Well, Jehan, if you think you can defeat me, you are seriously mistaken," Dabuu says, "I am far more powerful than you will ever be."  
  
"I think not," Jehan says and he power sup to his maximum. He was perfectly equal to Dabuu. However, there was no telling how the combination of Gohan's power and Jesse's power would bring.  
  
In the blink of an eye, Jehan is floating in front of Dabuu.  
  
"How did you move so fast?" Dabuu demands.  
  
"Really, can't I keep some of my secrets?" Jehan asks humorously. Without warning, he punches Dabuu in the gut, stretching his stomach to its absolute limits. He then follows up by spinning mid-air and kicking Dabuu in the side of the head and finishing the combo with a mid-level ki blast to the face that sends Dabuu careening towards the ground far below.  
  
"And here we were worrying about how the difference in Gohan and Jesse's power levels would affect me," Jehan chuckles, "apparently the difference in our power is evened out and made us perfectly equal to Dabuu. And I'm not even sure if I can go Super Saiyan or not. I'll try later though. Its not like I really need the power now. I can easily take you out as I am, Dabuu."  
  
Dabuu snarls and flies up to the Lookout. He glares at the Z Warriors and Jehan.  
  
"So, you have the strength of both Jesse and Gohan," Dabuu snarls, "as well as the holy magic that Jesse possessed."  
  
"And all of their combined skills," Jehan replies, "face it, Dabuu. You cannot possibly win."  
  
"We shall see," Dabuu says solemnly, "sword!"  
  
A sword identical in shape and size to Dabura's appears in Dabuu's right hand, only the hilt was as red as blood with the handle and blade being as black as ebony.  
  
"So that's how its gonna be, huh?" Jehan snorts, "sword!"  
  
The Silver Sword that Jesse had wielded appears in Jehan's right hand. The two Fused warriors stare each other down as they prepare to enter a battle the likes of which the universe had never seen before.  
  
"So, you're gonna use Jesse's holy blade, are you?" Dabuu sneers, "pitiful. You can't even create a new sword for yourself."  
  
"This is the only sword I need," Jehan says confidently as he switches into a new fighting stance, "it will destroy you. You know its power."  
  
"Yes, but is there enough of Jesse in you to control its power?" Dabuu demands, "I think not."  
  
"Why don't we find out," Jehan asks, blurring and disappearing to charge Dabuu. Dabuu blurs into super speed as well. A violent explosion rips the air as the two blades crash into each other, sending sparks and bolts of energy rippling through the air. The two Fused warriors begin a fierce battle for dominance, using the full scope of their skills as martial artists and swordsmen.  
  
"Can anyone follow them?" Videl asks.  
  
"I can barely feel their power," Krillin shudders, "that's how strong they are! Threy are so strong I can barely even detect them. It's too much for me to handle! Piccolo, Dende, can either of you feel their power any better?"  
  
"No, Krillin, I can't," Piccolo says. He actually looked scared. "The power that Dabuu and Jehan have is absolutely incredible. I don't think anything in the universe has ever come close."  
  
"Will we really be able to separate Jesse and Gohan when this is over?" Videl asks nervously.  
  
"Don't worry Videl, we'll get them into separate bodies again," Chichi assures the young girl, "after all, I do want grandchildren."  
  
Videl blushes fiercely at that comment. "Chichi, Gohan and I aren't even dating yet!"  
  
Bulma arches an eyebrow and smiles wildly. "You said 'yet' this time Videl. So you and Gohan are planning on dating and maybe getting married someday."  
  
"Well, Gohan and I do need to have a bit of a talk when this is over," Videl admits, still blushing, "but I do think we might become more than just friends after this."  
  
"That's assuming we can get him and Jesse separated," Eighteen comments.  
  
"That's not funny," Videl snaps.  
  
Meanwhile, Jehan and Dabuu were fighting at speeds just below piercing the sound barrier. Their swords clashed with tremendous amounts of sparks and lighting bolts from the two mighty warrior's.  
  
"You're good," Dabuu admits as he blocks a downslice and counters it with a thrust that goes right through Jehan's defenses. However, Jehan uses his superior speed to avoid the thrust.  
  
The battle goes on, neither one gaining a definite advantage over the other. Jehan would use his superior speed and knowledge of sword techniques to strike Dabuu, but Dabuu would counter with his superior experience and strength. The display of various swordsmanship styles was one for the record books.  
  
"How long can this go on?" Pegaro asks. He couldn't see the fight, only Piccolo could even remotely see the fight.  
  
"There's no telling," Piccolo replies, "Jehan and Dabuu are evenly matched. Dabuu has more raw power and experience on his side, but Jehan has all of the swordsmanship skills that were at Jesse's disposal and he has Gohan's speed. Between those two, they can keep up with Dabuu for any length of time. Jehan is not wasting a single movement. Every move he's making leaves him open to attack again without a moment's hesitation. If they are completely equal in everything except skill, which it seems that that is in this case is the truth, then Jehan will win because he's not wasting any energy. Every block opens up a chance for him to attack. Every attack of his that is blocked he is able to turn around to attack again instantly. Dabuu appears to be hard pressed to keep up."  
  
"So Jehan's gonna win?" Videl asks.  
  
"He must," Piccolo says, "he's our last chance."  
  
"Don't worry, he'll win," Videl says confidently, "Gohan was incredibly strong and Jesse had amazing abilities. They'll tear Dabuu apart."  
  
Indeed, it did look like Jehan was gaining the upper hand. Dabuu was cut and bleeding from several wounds, most of them not very serious and were healing rapidly. Jehan, on the other hand, looked to be in perfect condition. His determination was plainly evident in his eyes: the eyes of a warrior.  
  
Dabuu breaks off the battle with Jehan.  
  
"What's the matter, Dabuu?" Jehan demands, "getting tired?"  
  
"No, just letting you have some fun," Dabuu replies. He powers up slightly, all of his wounds vanishing instantly and his power level increasing by an incredible amount.  
  
Jehan was stunned. "Wh-what? But how?"  
  
"Foolish boy," Dabuu sneers, "that attack that Jesse used on me did nothing more than inconvenience me. My power has increased tenfold by absorbing those fools."  
  
"I'd like to tell you that the power you're getting from Gogeta and Gotenks will not last much longer," Jehan says, "the Fusion from the Fusion Dance only last for half an hour. Gogeta only had about ten minutes left, and he's where most of your power is coming from. Gotenks still has half an hour. And any power you received from Zarvon really wouldn't help you enough to make a difference."  
  
"So you think," Dabuu sneers, "compare your power to mine. I am at my complete power! You are as strong as you can possibly get and you still can't compare to me!"  
  
"We'll see," Jehan says and powers up to his max: twenty-five percent stronger than he currently was at.  
  
"Is that the best you can manage?" Dabuu sneers as he pushes his power level up even higher. His power level was now far beyond Jehan's.  
  
"It's over," Piccolo says, "Dabuu's power will be too much for Jehan to handle. Unless he is able to go Super Saiyan. But I'm not even sure if he can do that. Technically, Jehan is only a quarter Saiyan, so he might not be able to."  
  
"So we're gonna die," Eighteen remarks.  
  
Jehan and Dabuu slowly float back up to the Lookout.  
  
"So, boy, are you going to surrender or die fighting a futile battle?" Dabuu demands.  
  
"I'm just letting you bask in your ego," Jehan says coldly, "before I wipe that smirk off your face and destroy you utterly.  
  
"So, you're going to try and fight, are you?" Dabuu sneers, "and when you fail, no one will be left who is able to defeat me!"  
  
"Come and try me," Jehan says, raising his sword.  
  
"Very well," Dabuu says as he charge sin with a vicious thrust. Jehan parries the attack and snap kicks Dabuu to the back of the head. He then cuts off Dabuu's left arm and knees him in the throat. Dabuu falls back, gasping for breath. His severed arm turns into goo and reapplies itself to him and reforms into a new arm.  
  
"So, you still have some surprises boy," Dabuu growls, "very well then, no more mercy!"  
  
"That's exactly what I will give you," Jehan says. His Silver Sword vanishes from site and he prepares to power up.  
  
"So, you're gonna fight me without your sword, are you?" Dabuu sneers as his sword vanishes, "Very well then! Come and test your pathetic power against my own!"  
  
With a yell, Jehan begins to summon up his full power. A blazing golden aura surrounds him like that of a Super Saiyan. His hair begins to turn straight up, matching the style of a Super Saiyan. However, instead of blazing gold, it turns a brilliant silver. His eyes flash momentarily before settling into a deep blue.  
  
"What is this?" Dabuu demands, "a new form of Super Saiyan?"  
  
Jehan looks up, lightning sparking around his eyes. "Super Saiyan? Oh no, this isn't a form of Super Saiyan. This has much more potential than Super Saiyan. I have become something far more dangerous than a Super Saiyan. I have become a Super Warrior!"  
  
~~  
  
Well, what do you think? Far from being my best chapter ever, but its better than nothing. As always, please review. 


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Inside the Demon

I've become aware of a lot of inconsistencies in previous chapter, particularly in terms of power. I'm not gonna rewrite any of this, except maybe clean up some spelling errors and the like but beyond that I'm not gonna repost any chapter unless it gets deleted. As for the power inconsistencies, I'm changing how strong various characters were in the show. Everyone except for Buu and Gohan are as strong here as they were in the show. Gohan is much stronger for obvious reasons. Buu, Kid Buu in particular, is a lot stronger. Actually, its Kid Buu whose power has been upped. Dabuu is far stronger than Kid Buu was in the show if Super Saiyan 3 Goku couldn't beat him. I'm fairly certain that Goku could have beaten Kid Buu when they fought if he had gone all out. That was definitely a bad time to have a Saiyan moment.  
  
Things will work out in the end here, trust me. I already got an idea for either a continuation or a sequel. Stay tuned to the end of this chapter for details on helping me decide which to do.  
  
~~  
  
Dabuu looks on in horror at Jehan's new transformation. He could feel the incredible amount of power at Jehan's disposal. It far surpassed his own, and the boy was too talented to end up being absorbed. No, this mere boy would destroy him. And there was absolutely nothing that he could do about it.  
  
"My my my, Dabuu, at a loss for words?" Jehan asks with a smirk, "or are you just in your natural state of stupidity?"  
  
Dabuu roars and charges Jehan, ignoring the fact that he didn't stand a chance. He launches into a flurry of punches, each of which Jehan easily blocks, turning each block into a severe blow to Dabuu.  
  
Jehan grabs Dabuu's head and delivers a vicious headbutt followed by a resounding knee to the gut and a devastating elbow to the back of the neck. He then ki blasts Dabuu in the face with enough force to send the Fusion of demons soaring out of control.  
  
"Okay, now THAT'S firepower," Krillin says in amazement.  
  
"His power has increased so much I can't even measure it!" Piccolo exclaims.  
  
"Man, look at that power!" Krillin exclaims, "there's no way he can lose!"  
  
"Is this kind of thing normal for you people?" Pegaro asks.  
  
"Sortof," Yamcha says, "we're used to weird things, but the villains just keep getting stronger and stronger. If you wanna start it all off with Goku, it started with a little blue guy called Pilaf. Then there was the Red Ribbon Army. Following that there were probably adventures we don't even know about. Then there was Piccolo Daimou. Then Piccolo, the same guy standing over there. Then there was Raditz, Goku's brother. Following him was Vegeta and Nappa. Then there was Frieza. After Frieza there were the Androids and Cell. And then there was Majin Buu and now there's Dabuu. We've weathered some of the most powerful beings this galaxy has ever seen, and only a handful of people actually know the truth."  
  
"And it's all thanks to the Saiyans?" Pegaro asks.  
  
"Yes, the universe is safe and the Earth has been saved many times thanks to the Saiyans," Yamcha says, "Krillin, Tien, and myself are the closest to the Saiyans in strength of this generation. Jesse was of a different generation. We no longer have a hand in the fate of our world Pegaro. The Saiyans are guests here, living here because they do not have a world of their own, and they have taken over the responsibility of protecting the Earth. Their heroes. Even though Vegeta would rather not be counted as a hero, he is one. The destiny of the Earth is no longer its own."  
  
"Wow, that's depressing," Videl remarks.  
  
"Yeah," Yamcha agrees, "Jesse is the only human who can compete with the non-human fighters: Goku, Vegeta, Goten, Trunks, Gohan, Eighteen, Piccolo, and now Zarvon. And he's only as strong as he is because he trained with incredibly powerful warriors in Limbo, if I understand what he said correctly."  
  
"Yamcha, quit complaining that you're weak," Piccolo orders, "you could train more and become stronger, but you just slack off."  
  
"Not that it would matter," Yamcha says, "look at all of the intense special training Jesse's said that he's had to go through to become as strong as he has."  
  
"That's not the point," Piccolo replies, "you could at least have tried to do something about it."  
  
"Kamehameha!" Jehan yells as he fires the trademark move of the Turtle School. Dabuu dodges the energy wave, only to fall into the trap neatly set by Jehan. The various other energy blasts that Jehan had fired did not dissipate. And now Dabuu had moved neatly into the trap. The only way to move without hitting one of the powerful stationary balls of energy was quickly replaced with Jehan himself.  
  
"You think you're so much better than me, don't you?" Dabuu yells.  
  
"Well, to be honest, I am better than you," Jehan replies, "I outmatch you in strength, skill, and intelligence by more than you can comprehend. Face it, you've lost."  
  
"Shut up!" Dabuu yells, "I'm getting sick and tired of you Earthlings and your transformations! Super Saiyan, Super Warrior, it makes no difference to me! I am the supreme warrior in the entire universe! You are nothing to me, you hear? Nothing!"  
  
"Shut up," Jehan says, ramming his fist into Dabuu's gut and following it up with a vicious knee to the jaw and finishing with a strong ki blast while bringing all of the surrounding ki blasts in on Dabuu.  
  
The explosion was enormous. If they had been fighting on the ground, the explosion would have formed a crater large enough to fit Orange Star City in and rattle it. As it was, up in the air, the shockwaves sent the Lookout shaking. Only the quick thinking of Eighteen had saved Marron and Chichi, while only Pegaro's quick reflexes had enabled him to grab a tree to keep from falling off the Lookout.  
  
As the Lookout slowly rights itself, the Z Fighters and their friends can see just what shape Dabuu was in. And it definitely wasn't pretty.  
  
Pieces of him were scattered all over. No sign of his clothing could be seen, but they had seen him reform clothing as well as his body. All in all, he seemed even more indestructible than Cell. He could reform even after bruises, where Cell could only regenerate lost pieces. Right before their eyes, Dabuu's pieces come back together and reform into the tyrannical demon.  
  
"This is not good," Jehan mutters to himself, "that will be a difficult ability to overcome. Then again, I could always do what Gohan did to Cell. Completely incinerate him."  
  
Jehan reaches deep inside and powers up for Jesse's most powerful attack: the Shirubaa Bufu Kijutsu. Psychic energy gathers in the palms of Jehan's hands, illuminating them in a silver color. He clasps his wrists together, allowing the energy spheres that had formed in each hand to merge. He then moves the clasped palms to his right side them moves them out again, as if he had just launched a Kamehameha Wave.  
  
"Shirubaa Bufu Kijutsu!"Jehan yells as he launches the powerful energy wave at the fearsome Fused Demon. The attack homes in on the demon and hits him in the gut. Silver light creeps along Dabuu's body, burning away at his skin and eating through inside him like a powerful acid.  
  
At the same time that Jehan completely executes the attack, he begins to glow. The glow slowly brightens, but it soon dies down. As the glow fades, Videl could vaguely see two figures, not one.  
  
When the light finally fades away, Jesse and Gohan are two separate beings once again. A similar light engulfs Dabuu. When the light fades, Majin Buu and Dabura are separate once again.  
  
"Gohan, quick!" Jesse yells as he takes his Kai Earring off, "kill Dabura before the effects of the Shiruba Bufu Kijutsu wear off and he and Buu refuse! Or at least obliterate one of the Kai Earrings!"  
  
"Right," Gohan says as he powers up to his maximum and fires a Masenko into Majin Buu's head, incinerating it and the corrupted Kai Earring.  
  
"And that puts and end to that," Jesse grins.  
  
"You'll pay for that boy!" Dabura screams, "now I shall have to perform the Demon Fusion technique!"  
  
Jesse pales. The Demon Fusion technique was truly permanent. And it would yield much more power than the Kai Earrings Fusion. And possibly not even the Super Warrior transformation would be able to take on the combination of Majin Buu and Dabura through a Demon Fusion.  
  
"You're not gonna get a chance to do that," Gohan says as he powers up. He moves faster than you can blink and begins pummeling Dabura.  
  
"Hey, what happened?" Majin Buu demands, then he looks down at himself. He was completely buffed up (A/N: Imagine Super Buu after he had absorbed Gotenks, but with a lot more muscle mass and the outfit taking on the colorations of Gogeta's outfit.)  
  
"Uh oh," Jesse mutters, "Buu is a lot more powerful than before. Hey Gohan, take care of Dabura now! Buu is a lot stronger than before!"  
  
"Right," Gohan says as he uppercuts Dabura right in the throat. He then knees the Demon King in the gut and elbows him in the back of the neck. He floats away from Dabura for a moment, just before he powers up to his maximum.  
  
"Ka. me..ha.me.HA!" Gohan fires the Turtle School's traditional attack, not to mention his father's favorite attack. The blue-white energy rips through Dabura and incinerates him completely.  
  
At that same moment, Majin Buu attacks Gohan's blind side, hoping to take down the powerful Saiyan without a fight. But he hadn't counted on Jesse still trying to fight.  
  
"Target Track! Drain Cannon!" Majin Buu turns around just in time to see the Drain Cannon hit him square in the chest. He could feel his power level drop to half of what it was.  
  
Gohan fires a ki blast into Majin Buu, but at that same moment Jesse slices off Buu's tentacle with his sword.  
  
"You fool!" Buu calls out as he regrows the tentacle. The tentacle piece that had been chopped off begins to reform itself, unnoticed by everyone else.  
  
"This isn't good," the Supreme Kai says, paling the moment he sees what was happening to Dabuu's tentacle.  
  
"What's happening?" the Old Kai asks.  
  
The Supreme Kai's voice was shaky. "That was how the Majin Buu originally absorbed his victims. He could still turn them into sweets, but he generally just killed them. He absorbed the South Kai and Dai Kaio like that. He's preparing to absorb someone, most likely Gohan!"  
  
"Warn him!" the Old Kai exclaims.  
  
"I can't," the Supreme Kai replies, "he's too focused on the battle right now. I can try and reach Jesse though. He's more open to telepathy anyway, being a psychic."  
  
Jesse  
  
Jesse looks around in surprise. Supreme Kai, is that you?  
  
Yes, it is, the Supreme Kai replies, Jesse, locate that tentacle piece you chopped off. Buu can use it to absorb someone, just like Dabuu used his spit. If you can't find it, keep an eye on Gohan. He must not be absorbed, no matter what the cost.  
  
Jesse's reply was fervent. You have my word, Supreme Kai.  
  
Jesse immediately looks around for the tentacle piece. He sees a small blob of pink, unnoticed by everyone else, slowly rising up.  
  
"Gohan, look out!" Jesse yells as the goo flies at Gohan and spreads open. He knocks Gohan out of the way, but he can't get out of the way himself before the goo closes in around him. Jesse powers up, raising every barrier he could manage to try and save himself, but the goo just closes in on him and shrinks, shrinking him with it.  
  
"What the Hell?!" Gohan yells as the various people oin the Lookout gasp in shock.  
  
The pink goo flies into Buu and he absorbs he, though he does not change at all except for his power level raising a bit, and then back to his max plus a bit more.  
  
"Your friend was quite foolish, Gohan," Majin Buu chuckles, "and even though I am not as strong as I was merged with Dabura, I am still stronger than you."  
  
"We'll see, Buu," Gohan says as he settles into a fighting stance, "remember, you don't have much time left in Gogeta's Fusion. And even with the power Gotenks gives you, you would only equal me at best."  
  
"Then I'll just have to kill you quickly," Buu chuckles as he launches himself at Gohan.  
  
Gohan blocks Buu's punch and counters with a snap kick to the head. Buu shrugs the blow off and knees Gohan in the stomach.  
  
~Meanwhile, inside of Buu~  
  
Jesse lands inside of Buu's stomach, a faint silver aura surrounding him. He takes a moment to look around.  
  
"Okay, this was unexpected," Jesse remarks, though he does not let the aura down, "I guess I'm inside Buu now. I wonder..."  
  
Jesse sits down, floating slightly off of what was serving as the ground.  
  
"Okay, I'm obviously inside of Majin Buu," Jesse remarks, "Gohan is left alone to fight him, and Buu still currently has Gogeta's power. If Gohan can survive a few more minutes, Gogeta's Fuson will end and then there'll only be Gotenks for the next fifteen minutes. After that Gotenks will defuse and Buu's main source of extra power will have come from Zarvon. Now, if I can find them all and get them out of here, perhaps Buu will weaken back to his base form, leaving him weak enough for Goku to defeat, or Zarvon, Gotenks, or Vegeta to go toe to toe with."  
  
Jesse focuses his telepathy. Supreme Kai, do you hear me?  
  
~One the Planet of the Kai's~  
  
The Supreme Kai looks up. "Yes Jesse, I do hear you!"  
  
"What the?!" the Old Kai exclaims, "what's going on?"  
  
"Jesse, can you refocus your telepathy so that you'll be talking to myself, the Old Kai, and Kabito?" the Supreme Kai asks.  
  
Already done, Jesse replies, Supreme Kai, I am inside of Majin Buu. I'm planning on trying to find Goku, Vegeta, Trunks, Goten, and Zarvon, because chances are by the time I find them, Gogeta and Gotenks will have already split.  
  
"An excellent plan, Jesse," the Supreme Kai says, "but you must hurry. Gohan can't handle Majin Buu as he is."  
  
If Gohan can last a couple more minutes, Gogeta's Fusion will have worn off and Buu will lose a lot of power, Jesse replies, by my estimation, he'll be as strong as Gohan, perhaps a little weaker. As a Super Saiyan 3, Gohan himself was as strong as Gotenks. And that means he was as strong as Buu, maybe a little stronger. But now, Gohan's hidden powers have been unbound and he's far more powerful than any single being to ever live, except for Gogeta and Jehan, and he was a part of Jehan.  
  
"An excellent plan Jesse," Kabito says, "with Majin Buu weakened, the combined might of Gotenks, Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan can surely destroy him."  
  
I will not fail you, Jesse says, one my honor, I will save the Saiyans and weaken Majin Buu, even if it costs me my own existence.  
  
With that, Jesse cuts the telepathic conversation.  
  
~Inside Majin Buu~  
  
"Well, now to get to work," Jesse says as he focuses his psychic abilities into a realm that he did not like: omniscience. He could be omniscient for less than a minute, but it was extremely draining to his psychic abilities. His total power level would most likely be dropped until he regained his mental strength, and that would take a lot of rest.  
  
Almost immediately, he sees everywhere. He could not see outside of Majin Buu, but he could see everything with Buu. He immediately finds out where he was in relation to the Saiyans. As soon as he gets the needed information, he cuts off the omniscience.  
  
As he opens his eyes, Jesse finds that he was short of breath and sweating profusely.  
  
"I HATE doing that," Jesse grumbles, "I just hope that I didn't use up too much of my energy so that I go on to the second death before I can find the Saiyans."  
  
With that, Jesse starts moving through Buu's body at top speed, keeping the aura up at all times.  
  
He ends up heading through a veritable maze of who knew what until he finally got to Buu's head, where he finds a fork in the synapses.  
  
"Hmm, problem," Jesse mutters, "his body must have changed. Uh oh! I'm in his head! If Gohan blasts Buu's head off, I may be in trouble since I'm separate from Buu."  
  
Reaching out with his mind, Jesse manages to contact Gohan. Gohan! It's me, Jesse. Do not react to my words, just listen. Do not blast away any part of Buu's body. Beat him to a pulp instead. I am inside and am trying to find your father, little brother, Zarvon, Vegeta, and Trunks. I am separate from Buu, and I do not know what will happen to me if you blast away a part that I am in. Shy away from headshots if at all possible. Now kick Buu's butt! If you can survive for another five minutes, this battle will be won anyway. Gotenks' Fusion is about to wear off.  
  
With that having been said, Jesse cuts the psychic connection and hurries along the left path in Buu's synapses.  
  
'I can't believe that Jesse is still around!' Gohan thinks as he mercilessly pummels Buu's torso, peppering the near-malleable bubblegum pink flesh with his fists, 'I hope he can find dad and Goten. Even if they're no longer Fused, dad and Vegeta still give Buu a lot of power. At least dad's not at his full Super Saiyan 3 power in there. That would be too much for me to handle, even with this power that the Old Kai unlocked within me.'  
  
~Back inside of Buu~  
  
"Oof!"  
  
Jesse had not expected to run across thought beings inside of Buu's body. He had run across beings who could form their thoughts into physical manifestations at the cost of some of their strength before, particularly in Limbo, but he had only seen thought beings like these when trying to get into another psychic's mind. They were the defenses.  
  
Currently, he was having to dodge Gogeta's fists, but Gotenks and Zarvon were also there.  
  
'And they're just as strong as the real things!' Jesse thinks furiously, 'but this fight is a fight of the mind, and I know how to fight these better than anyone alive.'  
  
Jesse immediately raises his right hand, shaping it into a claw position. Lightning sparks around his fingers and flow from the tips into a point in the center of his palm from all of his digits, forming a small blue-white orb.  
  
"Guu Mahouteki!" A tremendous blast of energy erupts from Jesse's hand, ripping into Gogeta and disintegrating him. It also nicks Gotenks and obliterates him as well.  
  
"Never mess with a psychic in a mind battle," Jesse smirks, just before Zarvon launches at him and uppercuts him in the gut.  
  
~Outside of Buu~  
  
Buu screams in pain as the battle inside distracts him. That mere runt of a boy was causing him incredible trouble, perhaps more than the boy he was fighting physically could have. The boy was a damned telepath! He was powerful and experienced with his psychic abilities! And Buu couldn't throw him out. It just wasn't in his power. His form blurs as Gotenks' Fusion wear off prematurely. That blast sent to the mind-construct had affected the real Gotenks within him and split him into the two children. His outfit changes to match the one known as Goku.  
  
"So, I see that Jesse is succeeding in his mission to save our friends and family that Dabuu sucked into himself that you kept," Gohan says with a smirk, "give up Buu and I'll grant you a quick and painless death when they get out."  
  
"You fool!" Buu screams, "I'll still destroy you!"  
  
With that, Buu swings his tentacle at Gohan and instantly turns him into a piece of candy.  
  
Everyone on the Lookout gasps in horror. Gohan was their last hope. And now he was a toffee-flavored piece of hard candy.  
  
"You wanna mock me now?" Buu asks as he grabs Candy-Gohan.  
  
"As a matter of fact, yes," a high-pitched, yet unmistakable, voice comes from the piece of candy in Buu's hand.  
  
"What?!" Buu yells as the piece of candy floats out of his hand and hovers before him.  
  
"Surprised, Buu?" Candy-Gohan asks, "you really didn't think you could get me with such a cheap trick, did you?"  
  
"You fool, I will eat you!" Buu yells.  
  
"Suuuure you will," Candy-Gohan replies, "gotta catch me first."  
  
With that, Candy-Gohan zips off into the air, with Buu hot on his trail.  
  
~The World of the Kai's~  
  
"This is not good," the Supreme Kai says, "now that Gohan is a piece of candy, he can't possibly hope to defeat Buu."  
  
"Don't be too sure," the Old Kai says, "he could still move, meaning he could still possibly hurt Buu."  
  
"I wonder how Jese is doing?" Kabito wonders, "if he managed to make Buu lose Gotenks, perhaps he's started freeing the Saiyans."  
  
The scene in the crystal ball changes, showing Jesse battling the image of Zarvon.  
  
~In Buu's body~  
  
"Man, I knew Zarvon was good, but not this good!" Jesse mutters as he blocks another punch from the Super Saiyan 3, "these Saiyans have incredible natural fighting abilities."  
  
Jesse ducks, dodges, and weaves through Zarvn's punches and kicks, barely managing to avoid every blow. He counters a knee to the gut with an uppercut to the groin and a somersault kick that connects with Zarvon's throat and jaw, sending the Saiyan flying back. Jesse immediately raises hir right arm, holding his hand in a claw-like position as lightning flies from his fingertips into a blue-white sphere at the center of his palm.  
  
"Guu Mahouteki!" The attack rips into the mind-form of Zarvon, shattering it and breaking Buu's concentration on the outside.  
  
~Outside Buu's body~  
  
Buu stops and screams in pain.  
  
"Will you quit it?" Buu demands, "you are really beginning to make me mad!"  
  
"So, Jesse is giving you indigestion, is he?" Candy-Gohan asks, "how about I help him out?"  
  
With that, Candy-Gohan turns around and flies right through Buu's stomach, leaving a hole the size of it/him in the middle of Buu's gut. The hole almost immediately reforms.  
  
"Ready to give up, Buu?" Candy-Gohan asks, "or are you gonna change me back so you at least won't be so humiuliated?"  
  
"Very well," Buu growls. He swings his tentacle and hits Candy-Gohan with a beam of pink energy. With a 'poof', Gohan is back to normal.  
  
~Inside of Buu~  
  
"Well, that takes care of those thoughtforms, for now," Jesse mutters, "I'd better hurry before he can sic more of them on me. I'm not sure if I can handle using another Guu Mahouteki."  
  
Jesse takes off at top speed through Buu's body, following the synapses into the cavern that was Buu's skull.  
  
"Man, talk about empty-headed," Jesse mutters. Then he sees them.  
  
In five separate cocoons, showing only their heads, are the five Saiyans that Dabuu had absorbed. But the absoption part of Dabuu's power had been Buu's, so Buu kept those Dabuu had absorbed when they had been forcefully split.  
  
"Hmm, if I sever those connections, Buu will lose his access to their power and should revert to his most basic form," Jesse says to himself.  
  
"Oh, I don't think you'll have a chance to do that," a sinister voice says from behind. Jesse turns to see Buu's body from the waist up.  
  
"Figures you could manifest yourself in your own body," Jesse says, "but I didn't think you could do it like this."  
  
"Well, I'm not a psychic, like you obviously are," Buu replies, "but since my entire body is able to take almost any form I wish, I can do this."  
  
"Well, if you don't mind, I think I'll be freeing my friends, if you please," Jesse replies.  
  
"Oh, but I do mind," buu says as he fires a ki blast at Jesse, who promptly ducks and fires four rapidfire shots at the cocoons. The blasts rip through the bits of who-knew-what that were holding Goku and Vegeta in place.  
  
"No!" Buu yells as he promptly chances, this time his outfit taking on the effects of Zarvon's armor.  
  
"Give it up Buu," Jesse says, "you're gonna lose."  
  
"I don't think so, boy," Buu snarls as he begins firing rapid-fire ki blasts at Jesse. Jesse weaves through the erratic ki blasts, but one gets through and clobbers him in the stomach. Jesse falls to the ground in a heap.  
  
Goo from the floor of Buu's head rises up to cover Jesse, but he takes to the air.  
  
"Ki no Tsurugi!" Jesse swipes his right hand out, sending a wave of edged energy at the bottom threads that held the remaining cocoons. He sends out another wave at the top threads, but Buu fires a ki blast that deflects the energy wave.  
  
"Even though one of the threads has been severed, I can still draw on as much power from them as I've been doing," Buu says, and to emphasize his point, he blasts Jesse with several mid-level ki blasts.  
  
Jesse grimly focuses his telekinesis and rips Goten, Trunks, and Zarvon right out of their cocoons, leaving them up.  
  
Buu writhes in pain at the feeling of such a powerful display of psychic power being used right inside of his head. Zarvon and the two demi-Saiyans slowly come to as Jesse drags himself to his feet and walks over to them, hand on the side of his head as if trying to quell a throbbing headache. Which he now had.  
  
"Are you guys all right?" Jesse asks groggily.  
  
"I think so, what happened?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Dabuu absorbed you, Gotenks, and Gogeta," Jesse replies, "Gohan and I fused into a Warrior called Jehan using the Kai Earrings. Using my Shirubaa Bufu Kijutsu, I split Dabuu and Jehan back into their component parts. Gohan immediately killed Dabura. Buu tried to absorb Gohan, but I shoved him out of the way and was absorbed instead. I wandered my way through Buu's body until I found you guys and freed you. And while I'm thinking of it, I'm gonna free Goku and Vegeta as well."  
  
Jesse walks over to Goku and Vegeta's cocoons and focuses edged ki energy through his index and middle fingers and slices the two Saiyans out. While the two return to their senses, Goten finds something unexpected.  
  
"Hey guys, look at this!"  
  
The Saiyans and Jesse look at what Goten had. Found. It was Buu's original form, encased in a cocoon like the others had been in.  
  
"There were two Majin Buu's?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Yes, I sensed it while on the Planet of the Kai's," Jesse says, "the good and evil split into physical manifestations, with the good keeping the form that emerged from the Buu Egg. They fought and the evil won because it was more ruthless. I wonder what'll happen if we free this good Buu? At the least we'll have some great reinforcements."  
  
"Do you honestly think we could trust him?" Zarvon demands with a glare.  
  
"He is a physical manifestation of good," Jesse replies, not flinching from Zarvon's glare, "severing the connection will at the very least strip Buu of enough power so that any of you can defeat him without Fusing, except for Goten and Trunks. As Super Saiyan 3 Gotenks they can defeat him. Even Vegeta, the weakest of you, could beat him."  
  
"You're saying that Zarvon is stronger than I am?" Vegeta demands.  
  
"As a Super Saiyan 3, he is," Jesse replies as he prepares a blade of ki. With a quick swipe, too fast for any of the Saiyans to stop him, he slices open the cocoon and frees the fat Buu.  
  
"Ae you nuts?!" Vegeta demands.  
  
"Vegeta, I rust his judgement," Goku says, "he knows what he's doing."  
  
"You idiots!" Buu yells from behind them. The Saiyans were completely surprised, "now I won't be me anymore!"  
  
"What's he talking about?" Trunks asks.  
  
"I don't know," Jesse replies, "but I think we may have just made a big mistake."  
  
Everything around them begins to rumble.  
  
"Um, I think we had better figure a way out of here," Goten says.  
  
"Instant Transmission?" Zarvon suggests.  
  
"Won't work," Jesse replies, "I'm sure Gogeta tried it when he was absorbed."  
  
"We were immediately put in those cocoons," Goku replies, "we never had a chance to try the Instant Transmission."  
  
Energy begins to arc through Buu's head.  
  
"Well, we'd better cross our fingers and try," Jesse says, "Zarvon, grab ahold of me. The rest of you can use Goku to get out of here."  
  
Zarvon rests and arm on Jesse's shoulder while Vegeta does the same to Goku while Goten grabs his dads left hand and Trunks grab's Goten's hand.  
  
In a blur, Goku disappears with the other Saiyans.  
  
"Well, guess that answers that question," Jesse mutters. He focuses for the Instant Transmission, but nothing happens.  
  
"Uh oh?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Uh oh," Jesse agrees.  
  
~Outside of Buu's body~  
  
Goku, Vegeta, Goten, and Trunks all appear in a flash outside of Buu, but for an instant they are no larger than a bunch of tiny insects. The next instant they are their own natural size.  
  
"Goku!" "Vegeta!" "Goten!" Trunks!"  
  
The assembled people at the Lookout rush over to their newly returned friends and family  
  
"Your back!" Piccolo exclaims, "but how?"  
  
"Jesse wasn't properly absorbed," Goku replies, "he saved us. What's happening?"  
  
"Last we saw, Buu turned Gohan into a piece of candy," Dende says, "but Gohan could still fight and took off. Buu followed him."  
  
Goku focuses for a moment, then grins. "Buu's turned Gohan back to normal, I think. But where are Jesse and Zarvon?"  
  
They are stuck within Buu, the Supreme Kai answers telepathically, I do not know why, but Jesse cannot use the Instant Transmission to escape with Zarvon. And now Buu is changing back into his original form. He will not grow weaker, as you had hoped. He'll be stronger. Strong enough to face Gohan on a close enough footing that Gohan will lose because of Buu's regenerative abilities.  
  
"Not good," Goku says, "Vegeta, would you Fuse into Gogeta with me again?"  
  
"If needed," Vegeta replies, "but let's see how Gohan does first. He'll likely surprise us all again."  
  
"Man, what's going on?" Gohan wonders as Buu writhes in pain, slowly changing his shape into a smaller version of himself. Almost a kid version.  
  
Buu is reverting to his original form, the Supreme Kai tells Gohan telepathically, his power will almost be equal to yours. But Jesse and Zarvon are still stuck inside. Your father, Vegeta, and the children got out, but for some reason Jesse's attempt at the Instant Transmission didn't work.  
  
"So they're stuck in there?" Gohan asks.  
  
I don't know, the Supreme Kai replies, right now Buu's insides are in turmoil. Perhaps that is interfering. Maybe when Buu settles into his original form, Jesse and Zarvon will be able to escape.  
  
"Let's hope so," Gohan says as he watches and waits.  
  
~Inside Buu~  
  
"What are we gonna do?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"I don't know," Jesse replies, "I've tried everything I can think of to get out."  
  
"Isn't there just some physical way out?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Perhaps," Jesse muses, "but right now, it'd be dangerous to try. Let's wait until whatever is happening settles down. Then maybe we can try getting out."  
  
"I wish we knew what was going on," Zarvon complains.  
  
He's reverting to his original form, the Supreme Kai says telepathically, you made a mistake in freeing Buu's original body. He's reverting to his original form, and he's close to Gohan's strength as he is.  
  
"Not good," Jesse mutters, "Zarvon, did you hear that?"  
  
"Yep," Zarvon says with a frown, "you shouldn't have released Buu's original form from that cocoon."  
  
"How was I supposed to know that this would happen?" Jesse demands, "we're just stuck here until this blows over, I guess."  
  
"Hey, what happened to the fat Buu?" Zarvon asks.  
  
Jesse looks around. Buu's fat form was gone. "Not good. I don't think he'll be any harm though. He's a solidification of all of the goodness that was in Buu. We're safe from him. Unless he gets hungry, of course."  
  
"Um, wasn't he aways hungry?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Good point," Jesse says, "so, lets try to avoid him."  
  
"Say, we're in Buu's head, right?" Zarvon asks, suddenly worried.  
  
"Yeah, why?" Jesse asks.  
  
"What if the others vaporize his head while fighting him?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"I already told Gohan not to do that," Jesse replies, "and we're still inside, so he won't."  
  
"What about Goku, Vegeta, Goten, or Trunks?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Good point," Jesse says, "um, better pray to whatever deity that you Saiyans worship then, because you'll be meeting them soon."  
  
"We Saiyans aren't religious," Zarvon replies.  
  
"Hey, I think Buu's settled down," Jesse says. It was true. The shaking had stopped.  
  
"Shall we try to get out?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Yes, let's," Jesse says as he puts two fingers to his forehead.  
  
~Outside of Buu~  
  
"You're kidding!" Goku exclaims, "that's his original form?!"  
  
"He's a child!" Vegeta exclaims.  
  
"Yes, but he's almost as strong as I am," Gohan points out, "making him extremely dangerous. Jesse and I may have to Fuse when he gets out."  
  
"How powerful were you two when you Fused with the Kai earrings?" Goku asks.  
  
"Even normal, we equaled Dabuu," Gohan replies, "but then we transformed in a way similar to the Super Saiyan transformation. I think that ability came from Jesse. We became a Super Warrior. Our power grew so much that Dabuu was an insect compared to us. And I'm including how powerfull he was after absorbing Gogeta, Gotenks, and Zarvon all at Super Saiyan 3."  
  
"Impossible!" Vegeta exclaims, "how can merging with a human gain you that much power?"  
  
"I don't know, but it did," Gohan replies, never taking his eyes off of the new Kid Buu, "and let me handle Buu. Unless you and dad Fuse, Vegeta, you wouldn't be able to help. You'd be a liability."  
  
"This is worse than Cell, ten years ago," Vegeta grumbles.  
  
Gohan growls. "Maybe so, but this time I'm not gonna let Buu regenerate like I did Cell. I'll just vaporize him and let that be that. Dad, you get everyone somewhere safe, especially Dende. Take them to New Namek."  
  
"I can't get there even with Instant Transmission from Earth," Goku says, "I had to go to King Kai's planet seven years ago to get Dende. Now King Kai's planet isn't there, and King Kai definitely isn't there."  
  
Bring everyone here, Goku, the Supreme Kai says telepathically, gather everyone you can and bring them here. I'll take you all to New Namek from there. I'm a Kai, so my Instantaneous Movement isn't hampered by distance.  
  
"Thanks Supreme Kai!" Goku cheers, "guys, I'm gonna go and get Korin and Yajirobe and see if Tien and Chiao Tzu are still alive."  
  
Goku vanishes via Instant Transmission and reappears moments later with Korin and Yajirobe. He vanishes again and reappears moments later with Tien and Chiao Tzu.  
  
"Everyone connected?" Goku asks. Everyone but Gohan had moved into position and were now holding hands.  
  
"Give him hell, Gohan!" Goku cheers, "tell Jesse and Zarvon where we are when they get out!"  
  
With that, Goku and everyone else disappear through Instant Transmission and reappear on the Supreme Kai's planet.  
  
~Inside of Kid Buu~  
  
"Jesse, why aren't we out of here?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Apparently, we're stuck," Jesse says, "in that case, let's see if we wreck Buu up while inside him, give Gohan all the advantage we can. But you're gonna have to do most of the damage, Zarvon. I don't have much left. I used up a lot of my energy finding you guys. If I can't get back to Otherworld soon, I'll perish and go beyond. And then I'll be lost forever. Not even the mystical Dragon Balls of the entire universe could bring me back."  
  
"Then I'll mutilate his insides for you," Zarvon says as he powers up into an Ascendant Super Saiyan and fires his Bakurikimaha into the walls, but the fleshy walls absorb the blast.  
  
"This may be more difficult than I thought," Zarvon mutters.  
  
"Let's head down into his stomach," Jesse suggests, "his stomach is his weak spot. And perhaps if Gohan rips open a hole in his stomach we can get out."  
  
~On the Supreme Kai's planet~  
  
Kabito was going through apoplexy. Never before had mere mortals been allowed onto the sacred world of the Kai's! Most Kai's weren't even allowed onto the hallowed ground. Bringing Gohan had been an act of desperation, and Goku had come uninvited, but at least he was dead and the world of the Kai's was in Otherworld. But the rest of these mortals did not belong! Especially that Turtle Hermit. He would definitely be ending up in HFIL when he finally died. The Namekian Piccolo would go to the Grand Kai's world when he passed away, unless he allowed Dende or another Namekian warrior to merge with him so his power wouldn't be lost. Dende could come to the world of the Kai's under extreme emergencies, as could Mr. Popo, and this was an emergency of the utmost extreme. Goku was pure hearted enough to be allowed, and so was his son, Goten. Gohan as well had a pure enough heart to come. But the others did not belong on the world of the Kai's.  
  
"Master, why must you bring the mortals here?" Kabito demands.  
  
"Shut up, fool!" Vegeta growls, glaring at Kabito.  
  
"Supreme Kai, sir, can you take us to New Namek?" Dende asks.  
  
"It will be my pleasure," the Supreme Kai replies, "everyone, make sure you are close to me, Kabito, or the Old Kai."  
  
"Hold it!" the Old Kai says, "Goku, what about our deal?"  
  
Goku pales. "Darn, I was hoping you'd forget that."  
  
"You think I would forget a promise to kiss a pretty girl in exchange for bringing out Gohan's hidden power?" the Old Kai demands.  
  
"Darn it, I should have asked for that to train Goku and Krillin and Yamcha all those years ago," Master Roshi mutters.  
  
"Great, he's just like Roshi," Bulma says disapprovingly.  
  
"I'm sorry you feel that way, Bulma," Goku says.  
  
"Goku, that didn't mean what I thought it meant, did it?" Bulma demands.  
  
"Kakarott, you didn't promise that Bulma would kiss him, did you?" Vegeta growls.  
  
"Well, I tried to talk Gohan into talking Videl into doing it, but he didn't like that idea," Goku replies. Videl sighs in relief.  
  
"So you offeed Bulma up instead?" Vegeta demands.  
  
"That about sums it up, yeah," Goku replies.  
  
"WHAT?!" Bulma shrieks, "I AM NOT KISSING THAT WRINKLED OLD MAN! I'D RATHER KISS ROSHI!"  
  
"Really?!" Roshi cries out happily.  
  
"SHUT UP, YOU DIRTY OLD MAN!" Bulma cries out, then gets an idea. "Oolong, Puar, come with me."  
  
"I wouldn't try it," the Old Kai says, "I can tell the difference between a real girl and a shapeshifted animal. Master Roshi couldn't, but I can."  
  
"What do you mean?" Roshi asks.  
  
"He means that Bulma has used me to get out of going out on a walk with you," Oolong retorts.  
  
Roshi pales, then grows outraged. "I was cheated!"  
  
"Like I'd do anything with a dirty old man like you!" Bulma yells.  
  
"Am I gonna get my kiss or not?" Old Kai asks.  
  
"NO!" Bulma and Vegeta yell in unison, with Vegeta adding, "and if you try anything, I'll kill you!"  
  
"You're welcome to try, but I'm already dead," the Old Kai says, pointing to his halo, "I gave Goku my life so he could fight Majin Buu. Honestly, threatening an old man. I'm of a mind to send you all back to Earth in the path of one of Buu's attacks!"  
  
Everyone settles down at that point.  
  
"Can we go to New Namek now?" Goku asks.  
  
"Of course," the Supreme Kai says, "Kabito, Old Kai? Are you coming?"  
  
"Of course!" the Old Kai says indignantly.  
  
"I don't think it's gonna be a good idea to get that old Kai and Master Roshi together in one place," Krillin whispers to Yamcha.  
  
"I hear ya," Yamcha whispers back, "their both old perverts."  
  
"Excuse me, but I can hear you, you know," the Old Kai says calmly. Yamcha and Krillin chuckle nervously.  
  
Then, in a flash, everyone is gone from the planet of the Kai's.  
  
~On New Namek~  
  
The Nameks were not surprised when the several people just suddently appeared. Elder Muri, however, was surprised that they were accompanied by three Kai's. The Kai's rarely interfered with mortal affairs, and Frieza and Cell had been the only beings recently that would have warranted the Kai's attention, and they had not interfered.  
  
Seeking out certain face, Muri's face brightens. "Ah, Dende, how good of you to come."  
  
"Elder Muri, we need to use the Dragon Balls," Dende pleads. Muri keeps his face placid.  
  
"And why do you need the Dragon Balls?"  
  
"The Earth is under attack, and all but a handful of its inhabitants have been killed!" Dende exclaims, much to the shock of the other inhabitants of New Namek, "we need the Dragon Balls to bring back the Earth's inhabitants. Gohan is about to destroy the threat, but we need the Dragon Balls to bring the Earth back!"  
  
"Wait a minute Dende, the Namekian Dragon Balls can only bring back one person per wish," Piccolo interrupts, "we need its wishes to bring back Vegeta and probably save Jesse and Zarvon from being trapped within Majin Buu."  
  
"Ah, so you are the Namek who fused with Nail," Muri says.  
  
"Yes, I am," Piccolo replies, "and I have also merged once again with my other half, the previous Kami of Earth."  
  
"It is good to see a Namek who was at one time so divided at peace with himself," Muri smiles, "of course you can use the Dragon Balls. And after the Frieza debacle, we decided that they needed an upgrade. They can do what you need them to do."  
  
"Oh sure, mess with the natural selection of the universe, why don't you?" the Old Kai complains.  
  
"And who's to say that the use of the Dragon Balls isn't something that the universe had in mind?" Videl asks. The Old Kai had no answer for her.  
  
"Thank you, Elder," Dende says as the other Namekians produce the basketball-sized Dragon Balls of Namek.  
  
"Those are Dragon Balls?" Videl and Pegaro chorus.  
  
"Those are Nameks Dragon Balls," Bulma says, "you can fit one of Earth's Dragon Balls in a single hand. Their about the size of softballs."  
  
"And they grant wishes?" Videl asks.  
  
"Earth's Dragon Balls can grant two wishes," Dende says, "and then they are stones for a year while they recharge. They used to be able to grant only one, but I upgraded them a bit. They can bring a person back to life, but Shenlong can only bring them back once. Porunga, the Dragon of the Namekian Dragon Balls, can grant three wishes and bring someone back to life as many times as he wants. He used to only be able to bring one person back at a time, but I guess Muri changed it."  
  
"That's right," Muri says with a wide grin, "and now, don't you have a wish to make?"  
  
"Of course, Elder," Dende says with a bow.  
  
The Namekian Dragon Balls are quickly gathered together and Porunga is summoned.  
  
"WHY HAVE YOU SUMMONED ME? I SHALL GRANT YOU THREE WISHES THAT ARE WITHIN MY POWER. STATE YOUR WISHES NOW."  
  
"Okay guys, what are we gonna wish for first, and how are we gonna word it so it takes up as few wishes as possible?" Dende asks.  
  
~On Earth~  
  
"Give it up Buu, you can't beat me," Gohan says after he slams his fists into Kid Buu's torso and then chops him in the neck.  
  
Kid Buu just growls and launches himself at Gohan with a flurry of punches and kicks. Gohan counters each blow and delivers and gut-wrenching knee to Kid Buu's gut, literally tearing Kid Buu in half.  
  
Of course, that doesn't stop Kid Buu for long. He attacks Gohan again, this time with several ki blasts. Gohan knocks the ki blasts in the air and sends a powerful blast of his own that disintegrates Kid Buu's legs and waist, which are quickly reformed with a pop.  
  
Kid Buu growls and steam pops out of the vents on his body. Parts of the sky begin to glow an evil-looking shade of pink. The exact same shade as Kid Buu's ki blasts.  
  
'What's going on?' Gohan thinks to himself before preparing for the worst.  
  
~Inside Kid Buu~  
  
"Dude, I think we got a problem," Jesse remarks.  
  
"How so?" Zarvon asks.  
  
"Something weird is happening to Buu's energy patterns, and its not a good thing," Jesse replies, "it's along the same energy patterns used to open passageways between dimensions, but its not focused like it should be. If it continues, everything will be obliterated. He'll tear down the dimensional barriers and end everything. Otherworld, the world of the living, the Demon World, Limbo, the Dead Zone, and several other areas will merge into one. This will create mass chaos. No one will die, but it will open up an era of eternal torment, for not even Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, myself, Piccolo, you, Goten, Trunks, the Kai's, and the dead warrior's training on the Grand Kai's planet will be able to stop the hordes of Demon World or the denizens of Hell from trampling everything."  
  
"Is there anything we can do to stop it?" Zarvon asks, easing down into hir normal form.  
  
"Only one thing that I can think of," Jesse says, "but we'll need to get out of here first. And I need the energy of a living mortal to do it."  
  
With that, Jesse focuses his telepathy. 'Supreme Kai, can you hear me?'  
  
~On New Namek~  
  
The Supreme Kai looks up and focuses his telepathy so that everyone will be able to receive Jesse's sendings. "Jesse, you're coming in fine through your telepathy. What's going on on Earth? I don't recognize whats going on."  
  
Buu is tearing down the dimensional barriers, and he's doing it erratically. If he tears them down, nothing I know of can restore them. Otherworld, Hell, the Demon World, Limbo, the Dead Zone, and the world of the living will be meshed together like a bowl of various kinds of noodles dumped together.  
  
The Nameks and the Kai's pale tremendously at that thought.  
  
"What does that mean, exactly?" Videl asks, unsure of how she could be talking to Jesse when he wasn't there.  
  
It means that we'll all be royally screwed. But have no fear, I know how to counter it. But you're gonna need to wish me back using the Dragon Balls after all. And then wish me and Zarvon out of Buu's body. I can't do what I need to do while stuck in this blob of pink goo. Also, you might wanna wish the good Buu that is still roaming around inside of this new evil incarnate Buu's body out as well.  
  
"We'll do it Jesse," Dende says, "but how do we word our wish to bring back everyone on Earth who has died today without bring back the bad guys like Dabura and Babidi or Babidi's henchmen?"  
  
Just wish back everyone who died today whose death had something to do with whats going on Earth except for the really, really bad people. That should take care of everyone on Earth, me, the Old Kai, and possibly even Vegeta.  
  
Vegeta snorts at the derisive comment made about him.  
  
"We'll do it Jesse," Dende says, "your our best hope to stop Buu from collapsing the dimensions into one another, and then Gohan will finish Buu off."  
  
Got it. And with that, the presence of Jesse's telepathic mind was gone.  
  
"All right, lets summon Porunga," Dende says.  
  
"Will you have the honors, Dende?" Muri asks, "after all, it is your planet that is in the most danger at the moment."  
  
"Thank you Elder," Dende says, and then begins chanting in Namekian.  
  
"On Earth, we don't have to speak in Namekian, even though Bulma does know some of the language," Krillin comments, "but, she and Popo are the only non-Namekians who know the Namekian language, and it's a requirment to summon the Dragon, along with a certain key phrase, and to make the wishes. And Bulma and Popo don't know the language well enough do that."  
  
"Popo does," Piccolo says with a satisfied smirk, "he does now live with two Namekians, and Dende gives me as much a chance as he can to teach me about the Namekian culture. He knows it as well as any Namek."  
  
"Is this true?" Elder Muri asks in Namekian to Mr. Popo.  
  
"It is," Mr. Popo replies in Namekian, "they have been most helpful in learning about Namek."  
  
"Do you think we can wish everyone back to life now?" Pegaro asks.  
  
"Of course," Dende says, then speaks in Namekian to Porunga, "Porunga, I wish for everyone who has been killed on Earth or has died because of helping someone from Earth today to be wished back to life except for the really bad people."  
  
"IT SHALL BE DONE," Porunga booms. His red eyes eyes glow, then they stop glowing. "IT HAS BEEN DONE."  
  
At that same moment, Vegeta's halo disappears.  
  
"Well Vegeta, its official," Goku grins, "you're one of the good guys."  
  
The Old Kai's halo disappears as well.  
  
~Inside of Kid Buu~  
  
"Looks like it worked," Zarvon remarks, "you're halo's gone."  
  
"Indeed it is," Jesse says, "now they just gotta wish us out of here and things will go smoothly."  
  
~On Nek Namek~  
  
"Porunga, can the two beings known as Jesse and Zarvon be removed from within the monster Majin Buu and put on a spot somewhere on the Earth?" Dende asks in Namekian.  
  
"IT CAN," Porunga replies.  
  
"Then let it be so!" Dende calls out in Namekian.  
  
~Inside of Kid Buu~  
  
Jesse and Zarvon glow, then fade away.  
  
~On Earth, ten feet away from Hercule and Bee~  
  
Jesse and Zarvon fade back into the real world to see an astonished Hercule and Bee.  
  
"Well, this is a fine how'd'ya'do," Jesse mutters.  
  
~On New Namek~  
  
"IT HAS BEEN DONE," Porunga booms, "STATE YOUR FINAL WISH."  
  
"Um, we have a problem now," Dende mutters, "we don't have a third wish."  
  
"What about all of the damage done by Majin Buu?" Videl asks.  
  
"Let's wait until after the battle to do that," Dende says, "Porunga, do you think you can wait a while longer for our final wish?"  
  
"NOT PATIENTLY, BUT I CAN," Porunga replies.  
  
"Let's just hope the battle doesn't last much longer," Dende says with a sigh of relief.  
  
~On Earth~  
  
"Um, how did you appear like that?" Hercule asks, "hey, wait a minute! I saw you two at the tournament! You both fought that Goku guy who won and lost."  
  
"Yeah, I fought him in the first round and lost, and Jesse fought him in the second round and lost," Zarvon says, "you're Hercule, right? Videl's dad?"  
  
"How could you not know who I am?" Hercule demands, "I saved the world from Cell seven years ago!"  
  
"I've only been on this planet for the last six months or so," Zarvon replies, "and you didn't beat Cell, Gohan did."  
  
Hercule gapes at Zarvon, then frowns. "Who is this Gohan? Isn't he the punk who fought in the finals against his father?"  
  
"Yep," Jesse says as he stretches his limbs and cracks his knuckles, "Zarvon, I'm opening a portal to take you and Hercule to Namek. I've gotta stop the evil Buu from ripping apart the cosmos."  
  
"Forget it Jesse, I'm coming with you," Zarvon says, "send Hercule away. He can't defend himself against the evil Buu. You can send the good Buu to join them when we find him."  
  
"Buu is in a good and a bad form again?" Hercule asks happily.  
  
"He is," Jesse replies as he opens his ki sense to locate the pink tub of lard, "found him. But he's too far away for me to open a portal remotely. We could use his help."  
  
"Um, Jesse, he might attack me since I fought him," Zarvon says.  
  
"I can help!" Hercule boasts, "Buu's my friend."  
  
"Forget it, you fraud," Zarvon growls, "we're sending you to Namek where you'll be safe. You'll be with your daughter."  
  
"Videl?" Hercule asks, "what's she doing on another planet?"  
  
"Being safe," Jesse replies, "but hercule is right, Zarvon. He can get the good Buu to help us. The evil Buu is now far more powerful than the good Buu in every way, but he is resilient enough to help me buy the time I'll need to close the evil Buu's portals. Zarvon, grab Hercule and the dog. He's coming with us."  
  
Zarvon grumbles, but grabs Hercule and Bee by the scruffs of their necks. Jesse takes off for the battle with Zarvon close behind him.  
  
Gohan floats in the air, unsure of what to do. Buu was screaming, almost as if in pain, and the sky was becoming more and more splotchy. He hadn't heard a telepathic communication from Jesse or the Supreme Kai, so he guessed things were still all right.  
  
He couldn't help but feel edgy about it though.  
  
"Gohan!" Gohan turns to see two familiar figures flying towards him, the larger one holding what appeared to be a scared Hercule and puppy.  
  
Gohan grins and lets of a whoop of joy. "Jesse! Zarvon! You're okay! And Jesse, you're, alive!"  
  
"Yep," Jesse says, completely serious, "now if you'll excuse me, I've got to stop Buu from ripping through every dimensional barrier in existence and see what I can do to replace those he's already shredded. Zarvon, but the goof and the pup down. Gently. Neither one can fly."  
  
Zarvon nods and floats down to the ground to put Hercule and bee on it.  
  
"Jesse, what are you talking about?" Gohan asks.  
  
"So that's Buu's true form, is it?" Jesse asks, eyeing the screaming Kid Buu, "he's definitely dangerous. Goha, he's attempting to rip down the barriers between dimensions. If he succeeds, everything will blend together. Otherworld, the Demon World, Limbo, the Dead Zone, Hell, this world. He's placed a practically impenetrable barrier around himself. So instead of trying to pound his head in, which is the typical way to solve problems for you Saiyans, I'm gonna try and close up his rips. But I need you, Gohan, to try and bust through his barrier anyway. There's no garruntee that what I'm about to attempt will stop what he's doing, or even that it won't completely obliterate my body and I won't even have that in Otherworld, but breaking through that barrier and hitting him physically is the only surefire way to stop this."  
  
"Just tell me when," Gohan says.  
  
"You can start any time," Jesse says as his hands begin to glow with a silvery light. He extends all of his limbs outwards, the silverly glow permeating his entire body and breaks away from him in the form of silver glitter.  
  
Gohan, not missing a step, charges at Kid Buu and slams directly into his barrier and begins delivering blow after blow from fist, elbow, knee, and foot to it.  
  
On the ground, Zarvon powers up to an Ascendant Super Saiyan and leaps into the battle as well, delivering just as many blows as Gohan, and almost as fast.  
  
Meanwhile, the silvery light emanating from Jesse flows into the visual rips that Buu had created. The particles of silver light seem to coat the very air, leaving everything with a faint silver hue.  
  
"Wh-whats going on, Bee?" Hercule asks, sounding as if he actually thought the pup could speak to him in a way that he could understand.  
  
'I hope Jesse can stop this," Gohan thinks as he pummels Buu's barrier, trying his absolute hardest to break through, 'from what he said, things will not be pleasant. Without an Otherworld or Hell to send villains to, we'll be embroiled in constant battle for the rest of eternity.'  
  
"Masenko-ha!" Gohan yells as he fires his trademark ki blast into Buu's barrier.  
  
"Bakurikimaha!" Zarvon yells, left hand clenched around his right wrist as he fires his most powerful attack after powering up to a Super Saiyan 3.  
  
The two ki blasts slam into Buu's barrier, and for a moment it looks like they have no effect, then they rip through the barrier. However, they miss Buu.  
  
Buu opens his eyes. They are glowing the same color as his ki blasts. The same color as the rips in the sky and Space/Time. When he speaks, his voice is dripping with pure evil. "Buu no like you."  
  
~On New Namek~  
  
"What's my dad doing there?" Videl demands as she looks into the now- enlarged crystal ball.  
  
"Apparently Jesse and Zarvon rbought him along, though I couldn't hazard a guess as to why," the Supreme Kai says.  
  
"It looks like Zarvon and Gohan have broken through Buu's barrier," Goku comments, "hopefully they can stop him from destroying everyting."  
  
"Everything wouldn't be destroyed, just merged together," the Supreme Kai says, "all of the dimensions will be merged together, not destroyed."  
  
"They may as well have been destroyed then," Goku says, "perhaps Vegeta, Gotenks, and I should go and help them."  
  
"I agree with Kakarott," Vegeta says, ignoring everyone's stunned looks in his direction, "he's speaking sense."  
  
Those nearest to Vegeta slowly edged away from him. He was obviously sick. What if the disease was contagious? Vegeta notices them edging away. "Why are you moving away from me?"  
  
"Um, Vegeta, you just agreed with Goku," Bulma says, walking over to him and pressing her hand against his forhead, "and you said he was speaking sense. Are you sick? Your forehead doesn't feel warm."  
  
Vegeta growls and moves away abruptly. "I am not sick, woman. Even Kakarott can speak sense every now and then."  
  
"You are unable to return to Earth on your own, and unless it looks like Gohan is unable to defeat Buu, I will not take you myself," the Supreme Kai says, practically daring anyone to argue with him.  
  
"Don't worry, Gohan will be able to take Buu down," Videl says, "you all said it yourself: Gohan is far more powerful than Buu is, even though he's at his true power now."  
  
"Gohan is more powerful than Buu, and Goku at Super Saiyan 3 isn't far behind," the Supreme Kai says, "but that will not matter if they cannot stop Buu from ripping through the dimensional barriers."  
  
"Then lets hope that they can do it," Trunks says to Goten, "because none of us can beat Buu now unless our dads Fuse."  
  
"Hey Trunks, wouldn't it be cool if our moms Fused as well?" Goten asks excitedly.  
  
"NO!" Bulma and Chichi yell at the same time, forcing the two chibi's to stop that line of thought at the risk of their own lives, or worse, starvation.  
  
~On Earth~  
  
The rips between the dimensions slowly close as Jesse strains himself to close Buu's rips. It is very hard work, but he is doing it, oh so slowly.  
  
"He's doing it," Gohan murmurs, "Jesse's doing it! He's closing the rips!"  
  
At that same moment, Buu lets out a feral scream and punches Zarvon in the gut, sending him flying into Jesse, which propels them into one of the rips seconds before whatever Jesse had been doing closes it.  
  
Everything is deathly still for a moment. Jesse's work, that selfsame silver light, finishes closing up the other rips in Space/Time, effectively healing the sky and making it forever harder to do such a thing on a grand scale again in the immediate vicinity of Earth's solar system.  
  
Gohan sees his two friends plunge into the rip of Space/Time, possibly making them lost forever. "NOOOOO!!!!"  
  
Gohan turns to face Buu, his eyes taking on a demonic red hue, as does his hair. His aura, which had flared up at its most when he saw Zarvon slam into Jesse, turns blood red like his eyes and hair.  
  
Buu floats there, his face contorting in something resembling fear. He could feel Gohan's power level skyrocketing. Before, he was powerful. Now Buu was like an ant compared to him.  
  
~On New Namek~  
  
The Old Kai swears, startling the Supreme Kai and Kabito. "I was afraid this might happen."  
  
"What is it, Elder?" Kabito asks.  
  
"When I was awakening Gohan's hidden powers, I sensed tha the bore three distinctly different secret powers. One had already been unlocked. The other was the one that I unlocked. The last was one that only rage could unlock. In fact, that's what it is: The Rage. The most powerful force in existence."  
  
"Jesse told us a bit about the Rage!" the Supreme Kai exclaims, "he said it was immensely powerful, but it couldn't be controlled. He said that Buu was an incarnation of the Rage, but even Buu's access to that power was nothing when compared to what Gohan possesses. Gohan may do exactly what Buu tried to do, but he would do it unintentionally."  
  
"This is not good," Goku says, "do you know anything else about the Rage?"  
  
"Gohan has exhibited its power before," Krillin says, "but each time it happened, as soon as the focus of his anger was gone or something substantionally interrupted him, it vanished. That must have been what you felt when you were training with Gohan in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."  
  
"I think it was," Goku says, "but that makes me wonder what it was that Gohan unlocked to become a Super Saiyan 2 against Cell."  
  
"It was a deeper level of the other power that was previously unlocked," the Old Kai says, "I sensed that it had multiple levels, and each new level will open as he trains."  
  
"It must be the potential that Guru unlocked!" Krillin exclaims, "when we were on Namek, Gohan's power level was about equal to Nappa's. But after Guru unlocked Gohan's hidden potential, Gohan became as strong as Vegeta was!"  
  
"My power level then was about forty thousand," Vegeta says, "that's one heck of a jump. And it grew even more after he was nearly killed by that oaf Recoome."  
  
"Recoome was the big red-headed doof on the Giny Force, right?" Yamcha asks.  
  
"Yes," Vegeta frowns.  
  
"We took the dead minions of the Ginyu Force apart when King Kai invited them to his planet," Yamcha says, "I took the big red-headed doofus down. Tien took down the orange-skinned guy and the blue-skinned guy, and Chiao- Tzu down down that four-eyed freak."  
  
"You four took down the Ginyu Force?" Vegeta mocks, disbelieving, "is it weren't for the fact that I know you not to be a liar, I would say that your lying."  
  
"They were strong, but we took 'em easy once we realized how strong we had gotten," Yamcha dmits, "at first we were having a hard time, or so we thought, until I landed a good punch of Recoome and sent him flying. After that we took them down as easy as Nappa took us down."  
  
"Guys, what about Jesse and Zarvon?" Videl asks.  
  
"Let's see if Porguna can find them," Dende suggests, then switches to Namek, "Porunga! Can you find the ones known as Jesse and Zarvon that have been set adrift among the dimensions."  
  
"I CANNOT," Porunga replies after a moment, "THEY HAVE NOT ONLY BEEN SET ADRIFT OF THIS DIMENSION, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN SENT TO ANOTHER TIME. I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHERE OR WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN SENT. I AM SORRY."  
  
Dende's shoulders slump. If Porunga couldn't help them, then nothing could.  
  
"So they're gonna have to find their way back to us," Pegaro says, "they'll find a way. I really don't know them that well, but I know that if there's a way for them to make it back, they'll find it."  
  
"In the meantime, we're gonna have to hope that Gohan doesn't go insane and destroy everything," the Supreme Kai says as he gazes into the crystal ball to see Gohan literally tearing Buu apart and blasting the parts he tore off to nothingness.  
  
~~  
  
Now things are definitely getting interesting.  
  
As mentioned at the start of this chapter, I have an idea for what will either be a continuation that takes place at the end of DBZ. I already know how I'll end this story if the votes go to a sequel. Not entirely sure how things will go for a continuation, but I'll definitely think of something.  
  
Just tell me in a review which idea you prefer: a sequel or just continuing on without stopping. You don't have to vote now. The reviews I get within a week from the next chapter will determine how this story will go. So remember this in your vote: continuation or sequel.  
  
Well, please review and don't forget to vote on which idea you prefer. It can totally change how the end of this fic turns out! 


	16. Chapter Fifteen: The End of Kid Buu

Gohan, deep in the grip of the Rage, eyes Kid Buu with glowing blood-red eyes. Kid Buu takes a step back mid-air, then turns and run. In a flash, Gohan is standing in front of him, glaring down at the much smaller villain. Kid Buu tries to run in another direction, but Gohan stops him again by appearing in front of him.  
  
Kid Buu panics and fires a ki blast into Gohan face, but Gohan merely grabs the blast and extinguishes it by squeezing it. He then launches his own low- level ki blast, incinerating Kid Buu's lower half with just a flick of the wrist.  
  
~On New Namek~  
  
"Gohan's power is incredible!" Pegaro exclaims, "before, he had to power upt a bit to throw an attack like that."  
  
"But it may have cost him his soul," Videl murmurs, "he feels so. so empty."  
  
Goku, choosing not to ask about how Videl knew that, nods his agreement. "Gohan almost totally lost it against Cell, and from what Krillin tells me, he did lose it almost this bad against Frieza when he thought Frieza had killed Krillin, and again when Frieza was about to kill Piccolo. But Gohan's patience has been tested severely in the last two days. He's gone ballistic, and there's nothing that I can think of that can stop him. I'm not sure if even Gogeta as a Super Saiyan 3 would be able to stop him."  
  
"Gohan has almost reached the level of power that Jehan had as a Super Warrior," Piccolo adds, "he's become incredibly powerful and has almost no control whatsoever. A situation that is beyond dangerous."  
  
"It is," Goku agrees, "I just hope that we can stop him after Buu is destroyed."  
  
"Stop him?" Pegaro demands, "if he's as powerful as Jehan was after he transformed into a Super Warrior, then none of us have a chance at defeating him!"  
  
"I don't know how we can stop him, but I hope we don't have to," Goku says as he watches the crystal ball, "because if we do, we'll definitely be needing the last wish from the Dragon to wish everyone back to life. Though Immortality prior to fighting Gohamn might be a better wish."  
  
This statement alone shocks everyone except Goten, Trunks, Marron, Pegaro, and Videl. Goku actually said that they might need to wish for Immortality? This was completely unexpected. If Goku was willing to wish for Immortality to stop Gohan, then the situation was indeed dire from Goku's normally optimistic point of view when it concerned his older son. And if that was the case, then did the universe stand a chance at survival from a monster far worse than Majin Buu?  
  
~On Earth~  
  
Gohan looks upon his complete inferior with glowing blood-red eyes. The sheer force of his aura was incinerating bits of Majin Buu and corrupting the shape of the monster's body.  
  
"Buu, get ready for oblivion," Gohan says, his voice surprisingly calm ancontrolled.  
  
Gohan crouches midair and powers up. "Ka."  
  
Buu's eyes widen in fear. "Me."  
  
A blue-white ball of energy forms within Gohan's hands at his side. "Ha."  
  
Buu powers up his most powerful attack in the form of a giant ball of energy and prepares to launch it at Gohan." Me."  
  
The ball of light within Gohan's hands radiates pure power as Gohan unleashes the most powerful attack the universe had yet seen. "HAAAA!!!"  
  
Majin Buu launches his energy ball at Gohan with all of his power behind it. The two attacks collide as desperation lends even more power to his own attack while cold fury drives Gohan's Kamehameha into levels thought impossible for anyone to achieve.  
  
The two attacks rip into each other, distorting the air and the local Space- Time Continuum. Down on the ground, Hercule and Bee watch in amazement at the light show befor ethem. Gohan's Kamehameha drives itself into the ball of energy from Majin Buu.  
  
In the end, the two ki blasts cancel each other out and erupt in a vilent explosion that catches Gohan by surprise and knocks him through the air, sending him into the upper atmosphere and high enough to escape gravity.  
  
~On New Namek~  
  
"This is not good," Goku says, "Majin Buu is too strong for even Gohan to handle."  
  
"No, he is not," the Supreme Kai says, "Gohan's power turned on him as he tried to channel it into such a pure attack. The Kamehameha is an attack of pure, untainted energy. Gohan's power, the Rage, is tainted with anger and rage. Trying to use the two together caused the attack to short out and explode. And now Gohan will suffocate unless he regains consciousness."  
  
"Supreme Kai, can you take Kakarott and myself to Earth?" Vegeta asks, "I have an idea."  
  
"What is it Vegeta?" Goku asks, "us Fusing?"  
  
"As if!" Vegeta snorts, "no, it's the Spirit Bomb."  
  
"But that wasn't even able to defeat Frieza!" Krillin protests, "how in the world can the Spirit Bomb beat Majin Buu?"  
  
"Because we won't just be taking a small amount of energy from the people of Earth," Vegeta says, "we'll take as much as we can. And those here on New Namek can help as well."  
  
"It's an idea, but how do we get the people of Earth to surrender their energy?" Goku asks, "nature will do whatever it has to to protect itself, but people have to give up their energy willingly. You guys won't be able to provide enough with the rest of nature."  
  
"But the Kai's can put us in telepathic contact with everyone on Earth," Vegeta replies, "we can speak to them, explain the situation, and then they'll give us their energy."  
  
"But it can't be done!" the Supreme Kai cries out, "telepathic communication of the magnitude just isn't possible."  
  
Um, yo. Hey yo!  
  
"King Kai, is that you?" Goku asks.  
  
No, Goku, it's the Tooth Fairy. Of course it's me! Listen, I can do it. Mass telepathy is my specialty. I can set it up.  
  
"That's great!" Goku says excitedly, "but will be Spirit Bomb have enough power to take down Buu?"  
  
I don't know. Nothing except Cell has ever threatened Earth that was anywhere near as strong as Buu. Vegeta's plan is the best you got now that Gohan's gone and so are Jesse and Zarvon. None of us lesser Kai's, not even the Grand Kai, can locate them. If they were here, then the Spirit Bomb would definitely have enough power without Gohan adding his energy. But with Gohan out of action, then the whole situation is in doubt. But it is our only real option. Gogeta wouldn't be able to beat Buu.  
  
"Very well then," Vegeta says, "I'll distract Buu while one of you speaks to the people of Earth."  
  
"Hey wait, my dad's at the battle site!" Videl says worriedly, "can you bring him back here when you take Goku and Vegeta there, please?"  
  
"Of course," the Supreme Kai says. Goku and Vegeta both lay a hand on one of the Supreme Kai's shoulders and they vanish in an aura of golden light.  
  
~On Earth~  
  
Majin Buu smirks. He had managed to defeat that Saiyan who possessed incredible power. He wasn't sure how, but he had. But what was this? He could detect the energy signal of every person on Earth whom he had killed earlier had returned. How was this possible? Oh well. He'd just be able to kill them again, starting with that man and his dog that were down on the ground.  
  
With an evil smirk, Majin Buu floats down until his face is even with Hercule's. "Peek a boo boo."  
  
With a yell of fight, Hercule scrambles away from Buu. "Stay away from me!"  
  
Buu laughs, then powers up a tiny ki blast in his palm. Just before he unleashes it, a large pink blob rams into him headfirst.  
  
Hercle was dumbfounded. What had just happened. He decides to vocalize his confusion in the most sophisticated manner possiblke. "Huh? Uh, what just happened?"  
  
Hercule looks on to see a sight that completely stupefies him. (A/N: Yes, he's an idiot, but he isn't a baboon. But I am gonna have to make a point not to write my DBZ stories while reading any of the humorous DBZ fics. I develop a desire to wreck Gohan's high school social life and kill Hercule when I do.)  
  
Majin Buu, in his fat form, was fighting the small, kid-like Majin Buu. Kid Buu was tearing Fat Buu apart, but Fat Buu was taking the beating easily and delivering a beating of his own back to his evil counterpart.  
  
"All right Buu!" Hercule cheers. Then, in a flash of gold light, the Supreme Kai, Goku, and Vegeta appear before him.  
  
"What the?!" Hercule yelps as he scrambles back even more.  
  
"Shut up, you idiot," Vegeta snarls, "go with the purple-skinned pipsqueek. He'll take you someplace safe while us real warrior's will take care of the evil Buu."  
  
Hercule was frightened out of his wits. "You two were at the tournament!" He points to Goku. "You won the tournament!"  
  
"Yeah, I did," Goku says, "I've always enjoyed competing in the Tenkaichi Budoukai, ever since I was twelve."  
  
With that, Goku turns to face the two battling Buu's. "Jesse said that the good Buu was on our side, and now I believe him. It must have been the influence of the evil Buu that made him destroy things and kill people. He tried to expel the evil and destroy it, but it was too much for him and he lost and made the evil stronger."  
  
"Kakarott, we need to get this over with," Vegeta says, "the longer the fat one keeps the evil Buu occupied, the more time you'll have to gather energy for the Spirit Bomb. Supreme Kai, get the weakling out of here."  
  
"Of course, Vegeta," the Supreme Kai says as he uses his telekinesis to pick up Hercule and Bee and bring them over to him, "don't worry. This won't hurt, and you'll be with your daughter shortly, sir."  
  
"Wha, Videl?" Hercule manages to say before he, Bee, and the Supreme Kai are teleported away in a golden glowing aura.  
  
"Kakarott, go ahead and start," Vegeta says, "the Fat Buu and I will distract the evil Buu until the Spirit Bomb is ready."  
  
"Got it," Goku says as he flies up high into the air and begins drawing in nature's energy.  
  
Vegeta powers up to an Ascendant Super Saiyan and takes off and dropkicks the evil Buu in the back of his head right as the evil Buu is about to blast the head off of the Fat Buu.  
  
'Anytime now, King Kai,' Goku thinks as the energy ball begins to form above his outstretched arms.  
  
~On New Namek~  
  
"Aaaah! What's going on!" a terrified Hercule screams.  
  
"Its okay daddy," Videl says, trying to comfort her distraught father, "we're among friends."  
  
"Videl, where are we?" Hercule demands, cowering in fear, much to the amusement of the Z Warriors.  
  
"We're on the planet New Namek," Videl replies, "these guys are my friends."  
  
"Your friends?" Hercule asks, then he spots Tien and Piccolo. "Aaah! You! You were at the Cell Games!"  
  
"So was I, but I looked different then," Yamcha says.  
  
"Me too," Krillin says.  
  
"Our dads were at the Cell Games," Trunks says.  
  
"And my big brother beat Cell!" Goten chirps.  
  
At that, Hercule's eyes widen.  
  
"Dad, I do know the truth now," Videl says, "you didn't beat Cell, Gohan did. Gohan's dad fought Cell and died, but now he's alive again. And now they're fighting the evil Buu to save the Earth and the rest of the universe."  
  
"Can they really do that?" Hercule asks.  
  
"They can, daddy," Videl says, "we just brought back everyone Buu has killed in the last few days with some very powerful magic."  
  
"Uh, that's good, right?" Hercule asks.  
  
:"Of course its good, you boob!" Krillin yells, "everyone that's died in the last few days except for the really rotten people have been brought back to life. That means all of your fans are alive again. Now be queit while we take care of some business. Goku needs to prepare for his final attack."  
  
Guys, you need to send your energy to Goku, King Kai tells everyone telepathically, you just need to raise your hands. I need one of you to speak to the people of Earth and convince them to help.  
  
"Dende, you should do it," Krillin says, "you are Earth's Guardian."  
  
"I don't know," Dende says skeptically, "I don't sound like someone with any authority. How about you, Piccolo?"  
  
"It's worth a try," Piccolo replies, "King Kai, open the link."  
  
~On Earth~  
  
People of Earth, Piccolo's voice rings through the heads of everyone on Earth, less than an hour ago, almost every one of you were dead, killed by Majin Buu. This was not a dream. Buu is still alive, but to defeat him we need your help. Raise your hands and offer up some energy that will go into the attack that will destroy this great evil. Just raise even one of your arms to send out the energy we need.  
  
~On New Namek~  
  
Piccolo's voice was greeted by several skeptical voices, which were heard by everyone on New Namek.  
  
Why should we? What is this 'energy'?  
  
The spirits of the Z Fighters fall, even though they all raise their arms to offer up their energy to Goku in forming the Spirit Bomb. The energy gathers and speeds of towards Earth, moving far faster than the speed of light.  
  
Goku, you give it a try, Piccolo tries out telepathically, they may trust the sound of your voice.  
  
~On Earth~  
  
Goku opens his mind, sending out his mental voice to the people of the planet he had been raised on, that he had already died twice to defend and would readily give his life a third time to protect.  
  
People of the Earth, please, help us. We need your help. Majin Buu is not yet defeated. We need your help. We desperately need it! Just raise an arm with the thought of helping us firmly planted in your mind. Please, Majin Buu has already killed almost every one of you once. If we cannot defeat him now, he will do it again! He'll destroy the entire universe if he is not stopped now! If you don't help us your all gonna die!  
  
Dimly, Goku hears the replies of various people on Earth. None of them believed him, nor did they even seem to take him seriously, or believed that they had even died. This was not going well.  
  
In another part of the world, in a village covered in snow, the villagers had gathered in the center of town. A Frankensteinesque being gasps in surprise and turns to a redheaded young woman.  
  
"I know that voice, its Goku!" the being says.  
  
"Eighter, are you sure?" the redheaded woman asks.  
  
"I'm sure of it," the former minion of the Red Ribbon Army, Android Number Eight, now called Eighter thanks to a friend he hadn't seen in years, says excitedly, "I know it is! Come on, lets do as he asks Snow."  
  
"Right," Snow says as she raises her arms up, Soon, the entire village raises their arms, offering up their energy to a friend that they hadn't seen in nearly three decades to save the world.  
  
In another part of the world, an eighteen wheeler slows to a stop and out hops a energetic blue-haired woman.  
  
"That guy sounds really familiar," she muses, "but he sounds really nice! I'll do it!"  
  
She raises her arms and the energy pours out of her. This causes a small tickling sensation in her sinuses and she sneezes. In her place stands a blonde woman wielding a machinegun.  
  
"Oh, whats going on now?" the personality-switching Launch says, "I tell ya, this softer side is always getting me in odd situations. And why do I feel to tired?!"  
  
Below Korin's Tower, a tribe of peace-loving natives look upt o the sky. They can see, in the distance, the orb of light that was forming above Goku, though they knew nothing specific of the events that were going on.  
  
"Father, he sounds familar? Do we know him?" A young man in his early thirties asks his father, the village chieftan. The formidable man had not changed much over the decades since they had met a small and wonderful boy named Goku.  
  
"You should," Bora says, "this scar over my heart reminds me of him every day."  
  
Upa's eyes widen at that. The scar over Bora's heart was from when his own spear had been thrust through him by General Tao of the Red Ribbon Army, killing him. He had been killed defended a boy named Goku. Goku then proceeded to being the second being to climb Korin's Tower, and he did it and completed Korin's training faster than anyone before or since. Goku used the magic Dragon Balls, which he had been searching for to find the one that had belonged to his deceased grandfather, to summon the Eternal Dragon Shenlong and restore Bora back to life. The other villagers and never heard of such an act of kindness or pure, selfless good will. It was a story that they taught their children.  
  
"It's Goku," Upa whispers, "and he needs our help! Lets give it to him!"  
  
With that, Upa adamantly raises his right arm, offering up his energy to help his greatest person he had ever known.  
  
The energy gathers into the Spirit Bomb, slightly increasing its size and power, but its still far from enough.  
  
But its still not enough, and the people of the Earth still ignore the pleas for help  
  
~On New Namek~  
  
Hercule listens to the people of Earth with a look of disgust on his face. Even though he was a skeptic of supernatural forces and the like of the biggest kind, even he had to admit that they existed now, and that there were beings far more powerful than he would ever be. His own daughter had surpassed the level of strength it had taken him his entire life to achieve, and she was only 18. He was proud of her. He always had been. But now his years of declaiming the older arts of fighting, energy attacks like the Kamehameha of the Turtle School or the Dodonpa of the Crane School, it had all poisoned the minds of the Earth's inhabitants.  
  
And now it was too late. The people of Earth were doomed, and so was the rest of the universe.  
  
"Whats wrong with you people?!" Hercule yells out in frustration.  
  
And then, as if by a miracle, one person speaks up.  
  
Hey, that sounded like Hercule.  
  
Everyone's eyes widen in shock as another person voices their thoughts as well.  
  
Hey, it did sound like Hercule!  
  
Hercule looks over at the others from Earth. Their eyes were wide with shock, but then Videl laughs.  
  
"It figures," Videl chuckles, "King Kai, let my dad speak to them. Since the people of Earth worship him so much, if they hear his voice telling them to do it they'd cut off their arms."  
  
Well, it's a little unorthodox, but whatever works. Come on, you big doofus, tell your fans to help!  
  
Hercule gulps and takes a deep breath. He summons up his usual arrogant attitude that was full of an ego unassailable that it overwhelmed his good sense.  
  
"That's right! Your champ is here, fighting the fight against Majin Buu. I didn't wanna proclaim my presence to give these other fighters a chance at the spotlight, but I am here! But these fighters are using a technique that creates an attack far beyond what even I can execute, because Majin Buu is far more powerful than me, so we need your help. They are gathering up the energy into a single orb and are gonna throw it at Buu and use its pure energy to eradicate his evil body."  
  
I don't know how you managed to figure that out, but good work! That's actually the truth. I guess you're not as dumb as you look.  
  
King Kai's remark is projected to everyone on New Namek, and several of the Z Warriors snicker at Hercule's expense.  
  
~On Earth~  
  
Slowly, almost as one, the remaining people of Earth raise their hands to the sky, offering up their energy to save their planet from the greatest threat it has ever known.  
  
The energy quickly reaches the Spirit Bomb and it multiples in size. It goes from being as big as Goku was tall, but now larger than the Spirit Bomb that Goku summoned on Namek tod estroy Frieza. It has far more power though, sinze Goku compresses the energy as best he can as he receives it. His body strains under the pressure of holding up such an awesome force. The Spirit Bomb he had almost created when he first fought Vegeta was nothing compared to this. That Spirit Bomb would have been able to destroy Vegeta. This one would be able to destroy Majin Buu. This one would save not only the Earth, but the entire universe.  
  
'Still not enough,' Goku thinks, 'it needs more energy. Come on, Gohan, I know you're still alive. Come on, son, wake up and add your energy to the Spirit Bomb'  
  
~On New Namek~  
  
The Z Warriors cheer as they see the energy of the Spirit Bomb increase. Videl gives her father a hug.  
  
"You did it!" Krillin cheers, "I don't believe it. I guess this makes up for you stealing Gohan's glory for defeating Cell seven years ago."  
  
"Gohan said he didn't want it," Pegaro says, "but he wouldn't have wanted Hercule to get so caught up in the fame."  
  
"He wouldn't have if he hadn't been grieving over Goku's death," Chichi says sadly, "he perked up considerably when he learned that I was pregnant with Goten. I did too."  
  
"I'm sorry if I made your lives uncomfortable," Hercule apologizes.  
  
"I think the only thing that made Gohan uncomfortable was going to school with Videl," Pegaro tells Hercule, "he didn't want to ruin her illusions of you."  
  
"You're the guy who beat me at the tournament," Hercule comments.  
  
"I got lucky," Pegaro says, "if I had fought you the way you were seven years ago, I would've lost. You took your opponents seriously before winning the tournament."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Hercule demands.  
  
"You would've won if you had taken me seriously from the start," Pegaro replies, "you are a very talented martial artist and are easily above normal human limitations."  
  
"You know, this is the second time the big doofus has helped us with an assist," Yamcha chuckles, "he threw Android Sixteen's head and Sixteen was able to talk Gohan into letting go and let his hidden power surface."  
  
"It was more than that," Piccolo says, "when Cell stepped on Sixteen's head, that was the final straw. That is what pushed Gohan over the edge and enabled him to reach the power of an Ascendant Super Saiyan. Still, Hercule did help. Now we just have to see if the power of the Spirit Bomb is enough."  
  
"It has to be," the Supreme Kai says, "it just has to be. Nothing else even has a chance of defeating Majin Buu."  
  
"Nothing, you say?" Piccolo asks, "if Goku and Vegeta both trained hard for a few weeks, with Dende to heal them after every training session, they could defeat Majin Buu by Fusing into Gogeta. Especially if they're combined training can enable Gogeta to transform into a Super Saiyan 3."  
  
"I'm surprised that they aren't able to do it now," Krillin says, "after all, Gogeta was able to equal Dabuu, and Buu is nowhere near as powerful as Dabuu."  
  
"Majin Buu is in his original form, and true power," the Supreme Kai says, "Gohan is the only other singular being who has ever come close to equaling his power."  
  
"And now Gohan's gone," Goten whimpers.  
  
"No, he's not dead," the Old Kai says, "in fact, his sheer aura of power was so grea tthat he created a small atmosphere around him when he was thrown out into space, though I'm sure he unconsciously picked up the technique when he was Fused with Jesse.But if he doesn't get back into Earth's atmosphere soon, he will die."  
  
"If he gets back in time he can destroy Buu!" Krillin exclaims.  
  
"He can't," the Old Kai says, "he's lost that Rage and it would be difficult to beat Buu now. But he can add his energy to the Spirit Bomb and that would definitely give it enough power to destroy Buu."  
  
~In space around Earth~  
  
A large white glow was heading towards Earth. Inside it was the current most powerful being in the universe. Majin Buu had managed to get the drop on him, but it would not happen again. He had lost all of the anger and rage just trying to maintain the barrier. He wasn't sure how he had managed it, but he was glad he had. Somehow the barrier had managed to not only keep oxygen in and let in the rare oxygen in space and let out anything his body couldn't breath, but it also blocked the ultraviolet light of the sun and kept him from being flash-boiled instantly. And yet it still allowed enough heat in to keep the sheer coldness of space from freezing him solid.  
  
"Hang on dad," Gohan says as he flies at top speed for Earth as he senses his dad and Vegeta there, "I'll be there soon."  
  
In the distance, the largest and most powerful Spirit Bomb ever created can be seen from outer space a good distance from Earth.  
  
"Hang on dad," Gohan says softly as he comes to a stop, "if you need my energy for the Spirit bomb, I'll gladly give it."  
  
With that, Gohan aims his right hand at the Spirit Bomb and lets go, sending his energy to his father for the ultimate weapon against evil.  
  
As the energy leaves him, he can sense the barrier around him begin to flicker.  
  
'So, this is it,' Gohan thinks, 'after all of this, after all the power I have obtained, I die here in space because I gave too much energy.'  
  
Gohan closes his eyes as he accepts his fate, knowing that he will not stay dead long, for Earth's Dragon Balls could still bring him back.  
  
~On Earth~  
  
'Gohan's sending his energy!' Goku realizes as he feels almost as much power as he was already holding fill the Spirit Bomb and doubling its size. He has to transform into a Super Saiyan 3 just to contain it! With a smile, Goku knows for sure that the Spirit Bomb has enough power to annihilate the evil Buu.  
  
"Vegeta, get out of the way!" Goku screams as he prepares to unleash the Spirit Bomb.  
  
~On New Namek~  
  
"That idiot!" the Old Kai yells, "he can't give that much energy! He won't be able to keep the barrier up and make it to Earth in time!"  
  
"He what?!" Chichi screams, causing all of the Nameks to clap their hands to their ears in pain.  
  
"He transmitted his energy to Goku from space," the Old Kai explains, "but he's given too much. He can't maintain the barrier that is keeping him alive in space. He'll die."  
  
"Wait, what about Porunga?" Dende asks, "Porunga can send Gohan anywhere!"  
  
"That's right!" Piccolo exclaims, "Porunga can bring Gohan here or send him to Earth!"  
  
"Porunga, can you bring the one known as Son Gohan here to New Namek?" Dende asks the Eternal Dragon of Namek.  
  
"I CAN,' Porunga replies, "IS THIS YOUR WISH?"  
  
"It is, mighty Porunga!" Dende calls out.  
  
Porunga's eyes flash red. Gohan is transported from space to right in front of them. "IT HAS BEEN DONE. I HAVE GRANTED THREE WISHES. THE DRAGON BALLS WILL REMAIN DORMANT FOR ONE NAMEKIAN YEAR. FAREWELL."  
  
With that, Porunga vanishes in a flash of gold light and the Namekian Dragon Balls flash gold, then transform into ordinary stones.  
  
"You know, that has gotta be handy," Krillin says, "Dende, you really shoulda done that for Earth's set."  
  
"No one thought of it," Dende replies, "you were all more focused on getting more wishes per summoning."  
  
"Um, someone mind explaining to me how I got here on Namek?" Gohan asks as he get sup.  
  
"GOHAN!" Videl, Chichi, and Goten yell as they rush towards the demi- Saiyan.  
  
"Hey, easy!" Gohan exclaims as the three hug him tight, "how did I get here?"  
  
"Porunga, of course," Chichi replies, "we used the third wish to save your life by bringing you here."  
  
"You know, we could have possibly used the wish to give him his energy back," the Old Kai says, "then he could have made it to Earth and be there to take on Majin Buu in case things went wrong."  
  
"Well, whats done is done," Dende says, moving over to Gohan and placing a hand inches away from his friends chest. A golden glow surrounds Gohan as Dende heals him of his wounds and restores his energy. A minute later, Gohan is as good as new, and a little bit stronger to boot. His maximum power level had increased enough that he could use only the amount of the new strength and take on Tien, Yamcha, and Krillin in a spar and beat them soundly.  
  
"How is the battle on Earth going?" Gohan asks.  
  
"Your father has the Spirit Bomb ready, but Vegeta and the good Buu need to get out of the way first," Piccolo says.  
  
"The GOOD Buu?" Gohan asks.  
  
Trunks gives Gohan a quick explanation.  
  
"And Mr. Jesse said that we could trust him!" Goten adds when Trunks was finished, "he said he was as good as the Buu dad fought is bad."  
  
"Jesse may have kept to himself a lot, but he was a good judge of character," Pegaro says, "probably because of his psychic abilities."  
  
"And now Jesse and Zarvon are gone," Gohan says, shutting his eyes, "can the Dragon bring them back?"  
  
"They are beyond Porunga's reach," Muri says, "it is most unfortunate, but even Porunga has no control over rips in Space/Time. He wouldn't have even been able to close them. Jesse may have saved everyone in existence. Not just here, but in other dimensions as well."  
  
"He went out a lot like dad did at the Cell Games," Gohan says sadly, "a hero to the end."  
  
"I don't think Jesse would've stood by at all and let people come to harm if he could stop it," Pegaro says, "don't you remember how honorable he was? I recall him saying at one time that the most honorable thing a person can do is to help others. Whether it is saving a life or putting your own life on the line to keep harm from them, or even just helping them with a tough job, there is nothing more honorable than helping others. That's why he always showed Videl so much respect after he learned that she helped the Satan City Police Department."  
  
"I thought he was just afraid of her," Gohan chuckles. Videl whaps him in the back of the head.  
  
"That to," Pegaro says, then ducks as Videl tries to hit him as well. "Take some anger management, Videl! Sheesh!"  
  
"Pegaro you should have learned by now that Videl can have a very short temper," Gohan laughs as he watches Videl chase his friend.  
  
"Hey look, Goku's about to launch the Spirit Bomb!" Krillin says as he glances at the crystal ball.  
  
~On Earth~  
  
'Come on, Vegeta, get out of the way!' Goku thinks fiercely as he watches the good Buu and Vegeta fight the evil Buu and lose.  
  
The two champions of good were doing their absolute best against the mighty evil, but it was just too powerful. The good Buu was stronger and more durable than Vegeta, but he was an inferior fighter. Vegeta had great talent as a fighter, but his strength was vastly inferior to that of the two Buu's. Meanwhile, the evil Buu was an exceptional fighter and was even more durable than the good Buu.  
  
"Vegeta, Buu, get out of the way!" Goku yells as he struggles to contain the power of the Spirit Bomb. If he lost control of it, it would completely obliterate the Earth and everyone on it, including the evil Buu. The evil would be destroyed, but so would everyone on Earth and they would have to wait at least 130 days until they could bring everything and everyone back.  
  
Vegeta could hear his fellow Saiyan warrior call out his name, as well as the rest of what he said. It was do or die time. Delivering a kick to the evil buu's face that turns his head around, Vegeta grabs the good Buu and takes off.  
  
But with turning the evil Buu's head around, they also turn it so that he is facing the Spirit Bomb. The evil Buu's eyes widen in fear as he realizes that he is about to die as Goku throws his arms down, launching what could easily be the most powerful attack ever used.  
  
Like a dreadful behemoth, the Spirit Bomb lurches forward towards the evil Buu. Implacable in its movements, it has only one purpose: to stop the most evil being in history.  
  
The evil Buu summons up his power and attempts to stop the Spirit Bomb and drive it back. His energy blasts have absolutely no effect as he pelts the oncoming Spirit bomb with his most powerful attacks. Instead of even slowing the Spirit Bomb down, the blasts just shatter helplessly against it.  
  
Finally, the evil Buu tries to push the Spirit Bomb back with his bare hands. Big mistake. Just touching the Spirit Bomb fills him with an incredible amount of pain as the purity of the Spirit Bomb clashes with the evil of Majin Buu.  
  
Energy crackles around the evil Buu's palms as he tries to push back the Spirit Bomb, but it is no use. Relentless in its task, the Spirit Bomb pushes onward until finally it envelops the Evil Buu.  
  
'Farewell, Majin Buu,' Goku thinks, 'I wish we had another chance to fight, but without the fate of the universe at stake. That'd be some fight.'  
  
In a brilliant flash of light, the Spirit Bomb explodes, destroying the evil Buu once and for all.  
  
~In Otherworld~  
  
"He did it!" King Yemma cheers, "Goku did it!"  
  
"Yes, and now you have to deal with Buu," Baba says.  
  
Great King Yemma pales into a light pink.  
  
"Yes, you, big guy," Baba says, "you have to try and confine the greatest evil. I don't think sending him to Heaven will accomplish anything except for the destruction of Heaven. And I don't think the Yemma Lock will help either."  
  
"Your right," King Yemma replies, some of his color returning to his face, "but Goku expressed a desire to fight him again, without the fate of the universe hanging in the balance."  
  
"That he did," Baba says, "but how are you gonna accomplish that?"  
  
"Same way I sent Goku's grandfather back to the living world the second time: reincarnate him," King Yemma replies, "Goku's grandfather became his eldest son, and now his greatest foe will likely become his first real student in a decade or so."  
  
"And how are you gonna take care of that?" Baba asks.  
  
Great King Yemma grins. "Simple. There's a nice family in some of the outer islands that has been longing for a son for years, but has never gotten one. They're a real good family and if Majin Buu is raised by them in the formative years, and then taken under Goku's wing, he'll likely become Earth's next defender. The strength that was Majin Buu will be lessened since he'll be in a fully human body, but he'll have more strength than any other human to ever live, including Olibu and Jesse."  
  
"Very good plan," Baba approves, "now, is there anything you can do about Jesse and Zarvon?"  
  
"Unfortunately, no," King Yemma replies, "they're out of the reach of anyone or anything. You can't find them?"  
  
"Nope," Baba replies, "and I'm gonna have to tell Gohan that, too. You just know that my perverted brother will think of coming and asking me."  
  
"Well Baba, you can go back to Earth now," King Yemma says, "I can deal with Buu now that he's under my jurisdiction."  
  
"Just don't get over your head," Baba chides, "you wouldn't want him loose in Heaven or Hell."  
  
"That's for sure," King Yemma mutters as Baba floats away and his ogres bring the struggling Majin Buu in for his judgment.  
  
King Yemma cracks his knuckles. "Time to go to work.  
  
~On New Namek~  
  
"He did it!" the Supreme Kai exclaims, "Goku defeated Majin Buu! I don't believe it!"  
  
"Of course he did it," Krillin says, "Goku always comes through for us. He may sometimes lose, but he always comes back stronger than ever."  
  
"Don't we need to take you to Earth?" Kabito asks Piccolo.  
  
"Please," Piccolo says, "I do enjoy being on Namek, but Earth is my home."  
  
"That's okay," Muri says, "if you ever wanna come by for a visit, feel free to stop by. You are the only Namek not born on Namek. You are also the strongest Namekian warrior to ever live, unless Goku has met some in Otherworld."  
  
"He is the strongest," the Supreme Kai says, "the strongest Namek currently in Otherworld is called Slug, and he's not even half as strong as Piccolo is."  
  
"Can we go home now?" Goten asks.  
  
"Of course, "the Supreme Kai says, "everyone, gather close by and I will teleport us all to Earth."  
  
Everyone gathers close to the Supreme Kai. A golden aura envelopes the humans, demi-Saiyans, and two Nameks and they then vanish.  
  
~On Earth, the battle site~  
  
"Well Vegeta, we did it," Goku says to his fellow Saiyan, "we beat the evil Buu. We saved the Earth."  
  
"You did most of the work, Kakarott," Vegeta says, "you're the only one in the universe who can create a Spirit Bomb."  
  
"Thanks, Vegeta," Goku says, "but it was your plan."  
  
In a flash of golden light, all of their friends and family are there.  
  
"Dad, you did it!" Gohan cheers as he runs up and gives his father a hug. Goten and Chichi rush to do the same.  
  
"Hey dad, you were so cool!" Trunks says as he runs up to his dad, adoration in his eyes.  
  
"Buu, you're alive!" Hercule says as he runs up to his large pink friend with Bee close behind him.  
  
"What are we gonna do with him?" Piccolo asks the Supreme Kai, indicating Buu.  
  
"Well, he's a personification of the goodness that was the South Supreme Kai and the Dai Kaio that the evil Majin Buu absorbed," the Supreme Kai replies, "I see no reason why he shouldn't be allowed to do what he wishes as long as he doesn't going around destroying stuff."  
  
"Aren't you forgetting that people don't know about the split and everything?" Pegaro asks, "when they see Buu, they'll think he's come to kill them again."  
  
"That problems easy to solve," Yamcha chuckles, "we still have two whole wishes with Earth's Dragon Balls. One wish should take care of their memories. Don't know what to do about the second wish though."  
  
"We can just save the wish," Dende says, "the Dragon Balls will go inert for four months if we only use one wish."  
  
"That's great!" Yamcha cheers, "I'm glad you put it in when you remade the Dragon Balls."  
  
"Actually, it was already there," Dende replies, "apparently, Kami had put that in, not knowing about it. He could have taken the model of the Dragon and empowered the Dragon Balls further after he ascended the Throne of Kami. Had he done that, I could have boosted the Dragons strength a little more, giving it three wishes of equal strength. I couldn't do anything about the inability of Shenlong to bring back someone who's already been killed, but there are things that you can't help. I could make a set of Dragon Balls that had only one wish that could bring someone back more than once, but that'll reduce the power of the other Dragon Balls. And Piccolo just isn't interested in learning how to make them properly."  
  
"Hey, instead of making people forget about Majin Buu being evil, why not replace the images of him in their memories with his true form?" Goku asks, "that way they won't forget anything."  
  
"Kakarot, you are smarter than I give you credit for," Vegeta snorts.  
  
At that moment, Goku's stomach rumbles. "I guess I'm hungry. I haven't had a real good home cooked meal in seven years!"  
  
Vegeta shakes his head. "And some things will never change. Kakarot, how can you be ruled by your stomach?!"  
  
"Aren't all Saiyans like that?" Bulma asks, "as I recall, we spend thousands, if not millions a year feeding you and Trunks."  
  
"We have healthy appetites for Saiyan warriors," Vegeta replies, "but Kakarot has an even bigger appetite than necessary."  
  
"What can I say, I just like to eat," Goku says with his classic grin that he had passed on to his sons.  
  
"Well, can we go on and get the Dragon Balls and clear up this mess?" Bulma asks, "there's a lot of damage from the evil Buu's attacks and we could use the Dragon Balls to fix it all up."  
  
"The three of us should be going," the Supreme Kai says as he, the Old Kai, and Kibito gather together, "I thank you all for helping to end the threat of Majin Buu once and for all."  
  
"Hey, Supreme Kai, we're probably gonna be having a victory party before long," Goku says, "why don't you three come and join us? It'll be great!"  
  
"I really don't think that it would be wise," Kibito says.  
  
"We'll come!" the Old Kai says, "I wanna have some fun! We Kai's are so serious all of the time that we lose sight of why we must look out for the universe. This party may give you a very different outlook on mortals, Kibito. Besides, I've been stuck inside the Z Sword for millennia! I wanna have some fun!"  
  
"Just have someone contact the North Kai and have him relay the information to us," the Supreme Kai says, "and we'll do everything we possibly can to find Jesse and Zarvon. If anyone can find them, the three of us can."  
  
With that, the three Kai's teleport out in a blaze of golden aura's.  
  
~~  
  
I know, I know. I'm following the show very closely, but I got my reasons. For one thing, the Spirit Bomb is the ultimate attack. Energy waves can be dodged, but a Spirit Bomb as big as that one was can't be dodged, even by someone like Buu. And now Buu has been weakened, but I think blasting him with the Spirit Bomb is preferable to incinerating him with a Kamehameha. The pure, good energy of the Spirit Bomb obliterated the evil energy of the evil Buu. That and its just plain cool.  
  
Also, it takes quite a bit to get in a DBZ writing mood. Toonami has been airing the Frieza Saga again, which is cool. I love the speech Goku gives Frieza after turning into a Super Saiyan. I would have used the dialogue from the actual episodes that include Goku using the Spirit Bomb on Buu, but I don't have them recorded and I can't locate a store nearby that sells the videos. DVDs, I can find, but I don't own a DVD player and my computer won't run them. Still, I do like what I've come up with. I'm hoping that in the course of airing these older episodes of DBZ that they air them all again, including the Future Trunks Saga and the Saiyaman Saga in particular. The Afterlife Tournament Saga would be great to see again as well. I don't know why, but I just love the Saiyaman Saga. So many fanfics rewrite it or deal with that time period, though they ignore Saiyadork. Not that I blame them.  
  
Also, there are some questions, like the Smooster's question about Jesse's sword, that will be answered in the sequel or as this fic continues. For one thing, I gotta come up with the answers. And Smooster, Zarvon going up to the Golden Oozaru was to fill a plot hole. Poor writing ability on my part, but I just couldn't figure out a way to do it. I did think of tossing him into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, but I only thought of it just now.  
  
And nothing gets me into the mood to write DBZ fanfics like reading them! My favorites are below.  
  
The Return by The Smooster Storyid: 479303  
  
Summary: Set 400 years after the end of Dragon Ball GT, a descendant of both Goku and Vegeta meets a proud young woman and learns what it means to be great.  
  
My opinions: Quite possibly the best thing I have ever read, be it fanfic, published literary work, or comic. The Smooster is a talented author who definitely knows how to write good action scenes. Every chapter is very long, one average as long as my last chapter. A lot of original ideas pervade his writing style, but the way he blends it in makes it totally believable. It will definitely take you a while to read the entire 52 chapters that are up at this moment, but it'll be worth it. I read the first forty or so chapters in one sitting. It captivated me that much. No other fanfic has been able to do this except for B Diddy's Dragon Ball Generations. Even if you don't read it all at once (an it took me nearly five hours to do it) you'll still enjoy reading it, even if you only read a chapter or two a day.  
  
Anything written by B Diddy Userid: 42947 About: Everything this guy writes is top notch. From his original Dragon Ball Generations Series to After GT: A Trunks and Pan Tale to the new version of DBG titled Generations, all of B Diddy's, also known as Brandon B, work is exceptional and top class. You'll definitely like anything this guy writes if you like what I write.  
  
Law and Disorder by CCS AnGeL00 Storyid: 951317  
  
Summary: [GohanVidel, AU] In an alternate universe where Satan Videl is a detective for the Satan City Police department, she's forced to learn the meaning of "partnership" when detective Son Gohan enters her life.  
  
My opinion: An excellent work or literary genius. CCS AnGeL00 has written an excellent alternate universe that has the entire Z Gang as members of law enforcement. From District Attorney Vegeta, police captain Son Goku, the "Prosecuting Pair" of Bulma and Krillin, computer genius and gadget guy Trunks, forensic analyst Sharpner, Mr. Satan the mayor, Goten the lady killer (in his dreams, maybe. Even I can come up with better pick-up lines), and Yajirobe and Yamcha as your run of the mill streetwise cops. An excellent piece of work. Not many chapters out, but each one is worth reading and each new update is well worth it. Wait till you see the Halloween party. It's to die for.  
  
Some Dreams do Come True by Boombubble Storyid: 581760  
  
Summary: After being lured onto the spaceship of the evil space pirate Kashunari, the Z Fighters return home to the Earth completely devastated. Not to mention inadvertently releasing the fabled Majin Buu in the process.  
  
My opinions: An excellent work. The use of psychic power is very innovative and gave me the idea for some of Jesse's attacks. I think it might be a somewhat crossover, but I'm not sure. It is complete and very cool.  
  
Next up: You'll find out what happens next, including where Jesse and Zarvon ended up. I honestly don't know if you can figure it out. I plan on being a little vague. It can be figured out, though. Well, please review and tell me whether you want a continuation or a sequel. So far, I think I've only gotten votes for doing a sequel. Still haven't thought up a name for a sequel if it turns out that that is what I'll be writing. 


	17. Epilogue

All stories come to an end, and it is time for this story to reach its end.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ. I do own Jesse and Zarvon though.  
  
~~  
  
It was a week later that the Z Warriors, their family, and the three Kai's are gathered at Capsule Corps for a feast. Goku arrived late due to watching over a nest of dinosaur eggs, thinking about how his life had been up to that point. The Earth's Dragon Balls had been used to replace the image in everyone's memories who were not aware of the truth of the fat Buu with that of Majin Buu's true form. Mr. Buu, as the fat Buu was coming to be called, was being regaled as a hero. Gohan and Videl's classmates had drilled them over what had happened and were shocked about Jesse and Zarvon's fates, not to mention having a half-alien as a classmate.  
  
The Kai's had proved unsuccessful in finding Jesse and Zarvon. They even checked all of Limbo and the Dead Zone, but they still couldn't find them. And the Supreme Kai privately informed Goku of what had happened to Majin Buu and where he was being reincarnated. If they could make sure that the reincarnation would have good training and a good life, then he would become part of Earth's next generation of defenders, which would be led by Goten and Trunks. Gohan would try to keep up his training since he had learned from the Old Kai that if he didn't train often enough that the Mystic power would dissipate and he would go back to relying on the various Super Saiyan stages to increase his power.  
  
Surprisingly, all of the Z Warriors ended up liking Hercule. Except for Vegeta. The proud Saiyan prince still only liked two people, his wife and son, and only respected three others, which were Goku, Gohan, and Goten. The battle with Majin Buu had mellowed him out, seeing how strong Goku had become, not to mention Gohan. He became much easier to get along with, though it was not wise to try and get into a conversation with him.  
  
Years passed and things changed. Gohan and Videl eventually got married and now have a daughter named Pan. Gohan has kept up his training, but not enough to keep the Mystic Power. Without it, though, he is every bit as strong as his father. His power level has increased greatly, thanks to going berserk with the Rage when Jesse and Zarvon were knocked into that Space/Time distortion, but just as it had during those seven years of peace after Cell, Gohan's power level slowly dropped. He became a scholar, just as his mother wanted, but he kept up his training so that if the Earth needed a defender, he would be there.  
  
Vegeta and Bulma have another child, a girl named Bra. She has a certain sharpness in her features that could only have come from her father, but other than that she looks like a younger version of her mother.  
  
Trunks and Goten have aged, and now Trunks is beginning to show the promise that his Mirai counterpart had shown. The bleak, battle-ready expression that had always been on the face of Mirai Trunks was not present on Trunks, but he was always ready for a fight. Goten had cut his hair, growing up and becoming a lot less naïve. He was still a younger version of his father in many respects, but he is a lot smarter.  
  
Goku and Chichi were very happy with Goku being alive again. Seven years being dead hadn't changed Goku at all. Goten especially has loved the last ten years, as they have given him the opportunity to get to know his father.  
  
Mr. Buu and Bee have moved in with Hercule, much to Videl's dismay at first. It took her a long time to get used to the fat pink blob, but she eventually got used to him and his childish manner. Needless to say, Goku and Mr. Buu got along great. They had similar eating habits and outlooks on life. Particularly Mr. Buu since he was now reformed. Hercule went back to the Tenkaichi Budoukai five years after the Buu incident and won the title again since none of the Z Warrior's had entered, now had his daughter. In fact, Videl had taught him how to fly since he had made such a fool of himself trying to learn beforehand. While he kept up his usual attitude in public and in front of the press in particular, he had been really humbled learning just how insignificant his strength was compared to what he could achieve. He still wasn't that strong compared to the Z Warriors, but he was above almost everyone else on Earth. Those that he wasn't above didn't care for the tournament or the fame.  
  
Piccolo and Dende still keep vigil on the Lookout, prepared to contact Earth's Special Forces should the need arise.  
  
The Supreme Kai, Kibito, and the Old Kai occasionally drop by to see how everything is doing on Earth, and to keep an eye on Mr. Buu. If he ever got mad enough again, he could be a major hazard to the universe.  
  
The years passed and peace reigned throughout the universe. Babidi had scoured most of the serious troublemakers from everywhere when he had gathered up his forces, though the only one from the Demon World he had gotten was Dabura himself. The mortal fighters of various planets did not need the Kai's to intercede. Frieza had indeed been the strongest in the universe, his empire was in shambles and his entire family was gone, as were his greatest warrior's save Captain Ginyu who was still stuck in the body of a frog, and even a Namekian frog isn't that strong.  
  
~In another time and place~  
  
A demonic pinkish-red glow fills a portion of the sky near Korin's Tower. It is a rip in Space/Time. It soon closes, but not before it deposits two mortal beings into this strange place. As they get their bearings, the two float up in the air.  
  
One of the two is a large man, nearly seven feet tall with solid black hair that seemed to defy gravity. He was thickly muscled, and his demeanor was that of a man used to fighting for his life, a practiced warrior. He is wearing white armor of some sort over a black bodysuit, with white boots and gloves. The stub of a monkeylike tail protrudes from his rear.  
  
The other is shorter, barely five foot ten inches, with brown hair cropped close with silver streaks in it. He is wearing loose white gi pants and a long black vest that appears to be nothing more than an ornament, or perhaps weighted training clothing. His piercing gaze from his blue-green eyes spread out, taking in the situation.  
  
"Jesse, my friend, where are or?" the larger man asks.  
  
"Zarvon, the question may not only be where, but when are we," the smaller man identified as Jesse replies.  
  
The two take off in a singular direction, heading for the nearest source of ki that they could detect to be human, flying at high speeds. When they reach where they were heading, they stop mid-air, mouths open in astonishment at what lay before them.  
  
Out before them stood the ruins of a city, seeming to have been blasted apart by numerous explosions. The lack of the smell of any kind of explosive device leaves only one thought in their minds: something that could wield ki blasts had devastated this city. A familiar building tells them what city it had been: Orange Star City.  
  
Jesse and Zarvon look at each other in understanding. Majin Buu had not done this. If Buu had won, then the Earth would have been destroyed. Doubtlessly they had been thrown somewhere else, an alternate reality. But one question remained: if this city was in this state, and the ki signals of the entire planet only numbered in little more than a billion, what of the Z Warriors? Had they fallen to whatever had done this, or were they still fighting it? Jesse could not detect anything strong enough to have done this except for two signals: one he was able to identify as Master Roshi's, the other was unrecognizable. He also could not detect their counterparts. Knowing his own counterpart, Jesse figured that he was dead, though by the hand of this world's Dabura, same as he had been killed in his home dimension. The fate of this world's Zarvon was yet a mystery. With serious intent, they head for the unfamiliar ki signal.  
  
~Jesse and Zarvon's home dimension~  
  
And before anyone notices, ten years have passed since the fight with the evil Majin Buu. Goku surprises everyone by entering it. What is more surprising is that he tells everyone that there will be a strong new fighter there, one who could compete with his strength. What's more, this fighter was supposed to be human.  
  
Even the Supreme Kai and Kibito were entering this tournament. It would be an amazing tournament.  
  
"Grandpa, its starting!" young Pan cries out. All of five years old, Pan is already showing tremendous potential, and she loves to train just as much as her Grandfather Goku, whom she absolutely adores. "But I can't see!"  
  
"Here ya go!" Goku says, lifting his excited granddaughter up to his shoulder and sitting her there.  
  
"Thanks grandpa!" Pan cheers from her grandfather's shoulder.  
  
"This year's tournament promises to be one from the record books, as several great competitors from the past have entered," the announcer calls out into his microphone, "in fact, of this years line-up, half of them have competed before, and one of them is a former two-time champion, Son Goku!"  
  
Several competitors who appeared worthy had entered the tournament. Vegeta stands a little behind Goku to the left, flanked by Goten and Trunks, now sturdy teenagers. Gohan stood to his father's right, smiling at the affection shown between his daughter and father. Indeed, those two were two of the five most important people in his entire life, the others being his wife, his mother, and his brother. Off to the side is the ever-vigilant Piccolo. Mr. Buu is happily waving to his fans out among the crowd. A small dark-skinned boy of about ten years of age stands nervously off to the side of the arena. A large, gorilla-like man stands, boasting to the crowd with enough bravado to put Hercule to shame. Off to the side is a large, dark- cloaked fighter who had a very high ki, though not an unusually high one. Behind Goku, somewhat to Gohan's left, stands Shin and Kibito. As Kai's they always needed to improve themselves so they would not have to rely on mortals to save the universe, and the only mortals, living or dead, who would not give them special treatment for their rank who could give them the challenge they needed were on Earth. And not far from the dark-skinned young boy, watching him intently, are three cloaked fighters, one almost as big as Kibito.  
  
Up above the stadium, in a skybox usually reserved for the champ to watch, which was an innovation of Hercule's, sits the remaining Z Warriors and their family. Chichi and Bulma were arguing over who would win between Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan. 18 watches with mild interest while her husband and daughter cheer their friends on. Bra cheers on her dad and brother while Yamcha watches. The Ox-King, Master Roshi, Puar, and Oolong all cheer on Goku and Gohan. The Old Kai just watches.  
  
"And now, on with the show! Up first is Pan versus Gorilla Wild Tiger!"  
  
The large gorilla-like man walks up to the ring. Little Pan skips behind him.  
  
"Gorilla Wild Tiger is an exceptional competitor, having easily cleared through the qualifying rounds. Pan is the daughter of our champion, Hercule, and even though she is young, she cleared through the qualifying rounds with ease. She is also the granddaughter of Son Goku, a martial arts legend whose fame in the world of martial arts surpasses even Hercule's!"  
  
Pan bows to Gorilla Wild Tiger before the match begins. The large arrogant man just grunts and nods his head.  
  
"And begin!"  
  
Gorilla Wild Tiger rushes at Pan, determined to make it quick, but he gets a big surprise. Pan leaps up and kicks him in the gut, followed by several rapid-fire punches to his ribs and finishing it with a powerful punch to the jaw. Gorilla Wild Tiger goes flying, only stopping when he hits the arena wall.  
  
"And Pan is the winner!" the announcer declares.  
  
"You know dad, life is good," Gohan says as he claps for his daughter.  
  
"That it is, son, that it is," Goku replies, also clapping.  
  
~~~  
  
Well, we have reached the end. Well, the end of this story at least. There is another story to be told, and it shall be told soon. I thank all of my reviewers for sticking with me, and I also thank all of the authors whose works I read have kept my interest in DBZ solid and my imagination flourishing. But still, if not for my reviewers showing interest in my deranged work, I doubt I'd have finished it. It didn't work out quite like I wanted, but what I wanted was surprisingly beyond my abilities as an author. It happens to everyone sooner or later, and surprises like that happen to me more often than it happens to most people. Keep an eye out for the sequel, Rise of the Warriors, for the story of what happened to Jesse and Zarvon. Until then, stay cool and keep it happening! And, as always, please review and tell me what you think. 


End file.
